Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria: Outlook 2011
The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) is pleased to advise its members, other industry players, and the public that as part of the implementation of the 2011 business plan, it welcomes collaboration on initiatives which conform to its mission for the year.
The framework and process of implementation to get endorsement and collaboration has been laid out and the areas of focus for industry development will include the following:
1. Optimal exploitation of convergence
It is fundamental that the industry is ultimately restructured to reflect the changes that are already taking root and imposed by technological advancement. The benefits of these changes will not be realized by simply willing them to happen but rather by matching those aspirations with credible and tangible investment.
It is also desirable that we develop knowledge and skills in emerging technologies as there is a reservoir of knowledge in this realm that needs to be tapped into. A failure to do so will perpetuate our paying over the odds, and for poorer and outmoded services.
The Association will mobilize awareness and motivate our members, investors, and businessmen, to invest in appropriate infrastructure construction for the benefit of all our people.
2. Ubiquitous Broadband Access
It is the primary duty of government to provide access to e-resources for all of us and it can not for reasons of liberalization shirk discharging the responsibility. This extends to providing necessary support to industry players. One good case is the extension of broadband infrastructure across the country as well as providing incentives and financial support to fledging and upstart companies who show promise to disperse major broadband infrastructure and forge ubiquity of access. This is essentially the panacea to mobilizing all Nigerians for production. We shall pursue this and collaborate with others to do so.
3. Public Power System
In the absence of genuine liberalization of the power sector, we may continue to throw good money after bad on the problem without commensurate results. Our Association advocates for a truly liberalized electricity delivery system – one which will allow and encourage private investment into generating, transmitting and distributing electricity under independent and proper regulation. A system that is not underpinned by the tenets of choice, competition and freedom to do business under independent and fair regulation, is anything but
liberalization.
4. Frequency Management
The net industry and social benefits of an efficient frequency management system is yet to be attained. Its mismanagement poses real threat to investment and expansion initiatives. Developing skills in this special area represents an antidote to predictable catastrophe in planning, allocation and management such that the industry reduces pollution and increases re-use. Our Association will align itself with all efforts which seek to improve the industry in this regard.
5. Independence of the Regulator
To the extent that the operating law has given very commendable independence to the regulator from which the industry has immeasurably benefited in the last decade, it is important that we counsel that such independence is not subject to officials’ whims and caprices capable of derailing the march. The independence of the NCC has truly been threatened in the past two years but fortunately. we have a judiciary, press and industry players that have stepped up to the mark and showed its resolve guaranteeing that we continue to move in the right direction. The 3.5G and the N6.1billion debacles are prime examples of undisguised attempts to compromise the independence of the Commission. The argument here is not against moderating the regulator but we must have clear lines of demarcation between the boundaries of moderating and of unhealthy interference.
Proponents of collaboration initiatives whose motive are in tandem with the above are welcome and advised to contact us on [email protected]
