Calling Mr. Arzika-Lesson 101 to Nigerian Communication Minister and NCC Board of Commissioners 

By 

Chuks Meka

Forwarded by Ugo Harris

I am fortunate to have designed many private VSAT networks within and outside Nigeria for Oil firms and financial houses. These networks pay for the cost of building them in the first year and the rest years are just maintenance cost, which is peanuts compared to their benefits to these businesses.

These are networks designed and built by Nigerian Engineers. NITEL has Satellite earth stations virtually in every state. It is very painful to see these cheap solutions ignored and we keep going for white elephant projects.

SOLUTIONS: 

1. NITEL should design mesh networks between its Satellite earth stations in each state for N x E1 digital links (2.048 Mbps each) which will provide 8 x 30= 240 voice channels between two points.

2. Use some of these E1 bandwidth for Frame Relay links , which Banks, ISPs, small and large scale Industries, Government Depts like Transport for having a central licensing network, the Police for One national network, NEPA, etc.

3. Extend these data and voice services by Microwave networks that can go up to 30Km/hop.

4. Build Digital exchanges rather than expanding analogue exchanges.

5. Cost of equipment is minimal because they only need to upgrade the SSPAs/TWTs for heavier traffic. Cost of Multiplexers are low and Routers are cheap too. Don't want to mention discounts on these equipment, as you buy more.

6. NITEL is a signatory to INTELSAT and gets Bandwidth cost at a very low rate than any other private ISP. They can even get cheaper cost of Bandwidth from other Satellite service providers like PANAMSAT, GLOBALSTAR, etc.

7. NITEL to complete the Optic Fibre ring across the country and put traffic on them.

8. NITEL to put distribution fibre rings within big metros like Lagos, Kano, Kaduna, Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Onitsha, Aba, Enugu, etc.

ESTIMATED COST: NGN 50 Million Naira will make a huge difference to Nigeria Telecommunication market.

RESULTS: Every trader in Lagos Island, Ochanga Mkt, Aba Ariaria Mkt Phc MKts need Telephone and ISDN lines for their business and Corporate bodies will expand their capacities immediately. This NGN50 Million investment will pay for itself within one year.

FINALLY: NITEL should improve and be strict about payment of bills, especially with Government Depts. and bodies. Devise easier means of payment like Telephone Bill payment system, Internet payments, Bank payments.

PLEASE CAN SOMEBODY GIVE THIS TO THE MINISTER OF COMMUNICATION FOR FREE AND HE WILL WRITE HIS NAME ON THE SANDS OF TIMES.

Comment by the webmaster

I called the Minister to relay this information, but his telephone was out of order. Please if you know his email address, kindly forward this letter to him.