- The levies including annual licensing fees, and VAT, amounted to N60 billion. It said the significant part of this was the $150 million paid for the 3G licence issued to it in the course of the year by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).MTN Nigeria also increased its subscriber base by 34 per cent to 16.5 million at 31 December 2007 while stating that its network capacity and quality were addressed through a ramp-up in infrastructure roll out in the second half of 2007.MTN’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Ahmad Farroukh, made the declaration in Lagos on Tuesday as the MTN Group announced its 2007 trading results.According to Mr. Farroukh, “the combination of a strategic…

- Mobile Banking refers to provision of banking and financial services with the help of mobile telecommunication devices. The scope of offered services may include facilities to conduct bank and stock market transactions, to administer accounts and to access customized information. Also known as M-Banking in Nigeria or in some instances SMS Banking etc., it is a term used for performing balance checks, account transactions, payments and others transaction services via a mobile devices. Some mobile Banking applications in Nigeria use pre programmed configurations settings. Mobile Banking in Nigeria started from the transaction based activities whereby Bank customers are Notified via SMS when…

- These are interesting times in the Nigeria Mobile Market turf. Glo and Mtn are enagaging themselves to establish dominance with product and commercial launch of 3G.At any oppouurtunity,both network providers are quick to market 3G with promises of what it can do. Looking from what obtains presently with Wap, gprs and other multimedia services usage level presently in Nigeria, it will not be out of place to show concern about how operators intend to develop and drive usage of 3g which is highly content driven.Though some of the contents might run too on present networks but are best experienced on a 3G because it offers more for media bandwidth intensive contents. Countries that mad…

- GSM Award (GSMA) is the global trade association representing more than 690 GSM mobile phone operators across 214 territories and countries of the world. This year’s event comes up February in Barcelona, Spain.The primary goals of the GSMA are to ensure mobile phones and wireless services work globally and are easily accessible, enhancing their value to individual customers and national economies, while creating new business opportunities for operators.GSMA's work is focused on two areas: emerging services and emerging markets. The GSMA helps its members develop and launch new services, ranging from mobile instant messaging to video sharing to mobile Internet access, which will work…

- But that is exactly the dire scenario that confronts the fans as the Super Eagles go into today's final round of matches in Group B.An opening day loss to Ivory Coast, followed by a frantic draw against Mali has left the Eagles facing their worst nightmare, with their fate no longer in their own hands.In a country as passionate as Nigeria about their football, the fans have been quick to vent their spleen. In Sekondi, it took a detachment of heavily armed policemen to prevent fans from taking out their anger on the team.The situation has been no different in Lagos, with the NFA Liaison Office coming under attack.It has become a season of permutations, but the lowest common fraction is that…

- The Eagles Railway training ground at Essikado which hitherto used to witness large turn out of crowd was sparse when the Eagles turned out for training yesterday, the ever surging crowd of media corps are absent.It will be recalled that Eagles left the stadium on Friday under tight security as disgruntled fans laid siege on their way to their ray bow Hotel.

- Mobile Marketing is used to describe marketing on or with a mobile device, such as a mobile Phone. Mobile allows brands that have relied on traditional channels to create a more direct, sustained relationship with consumers. Mobile Marketing is yet to gain its foothold in Nigeria but with the upcoming 3G networks, this will allow data intensive applications,Brand and advert agencies will quickly see the opportunities in engaging the Mobile subscribers because of its uniqueness and interactivity. South Korea is a classic example where Mobile marketing is striving. The largest network operator, SK Telecom, has some 500 clients and controls 80% of the country's mobile advertising mark…

- The Nigeria coach Berti Vogts has promised to make changes in one or two positions for the match against Mali on Friday. The Super Eagles put up a lethargic performance lacking creativity and invention and the coach too accepted that the performance, especially after the goal, was not good enough. But Nigerians with all their money on Berti Vogts, with all the support for the team, will not take promises for a better outing against Mali, some are routing for dramatic changes even when the tournament is already on course. They are asking for the sacking of the German trainer. Many Super Eagles’ fans at the stadium, noting the number of top Nigerians dignitaries present, felt…

- Apart from Alheri Engineering, other winners of the license are already operating GSM Networks in the last few years and the acquisition of the license will help to consolidate their positions and with the last Gsm Licence Holder, Mudabala finally settling for Etisalat as partner in the Nigerian deal, the stage is now set for keen competition.Over the last few years, voice has always been the major revenue base for National Mobile Operators In Nigeria. However, with the rapid development of mobile communication and the licensing of 3G Spectrum, this will greatly increase ability to perform lots of other services that will drastically change the business pattern of the telecom industry and…

- New entrants Visaphone, is promising to be a big player with its recent acquisitions of two medium size operators and armed with a 800 mhz licence and Farmed-out license holder,Etisalat Nigeria will utilize the Mudabala License in the very competitive and fast growing Nigeria market.Mtn the clear market leader with over 15 million subscribers with Glo and Celtel coming a close second and third with very impressive figures, the market is hotly contested for and operators will goto any length to acquire more subscribers even in the face of declining quality of service and poor mobile value added services. Etisalat job placements in the newspapers and the marketing pitch for marketing Br…

- In the past few years, “triple play” has probably been the biggest buzz word in telecommunications worldwide,promising as it does to boost revenues and reduce churn by offering an array of voice, video and data services. Today, integrated triple-play delivery is energizing the telecom and mass-media markets in Europe and America. Triple play ambitions of Some telecommunications companies in Nigeria will change the landscape of communications for ever when implemented. Globacom, 21st century and MTN with its acquired fixed wireline company,VGC communications Ltd, have made their intentions known about this innovative service and they sure have plans in place for it. Com…

- In the past few years, “triple play” has probably been the biggest buzz word in telecommunications worldwide,promising as it does to boost revenues and reduce churn by offering an array of voice, video and data services. Today, integrated triple-play delivery is energizing the telecom and mass-media markets in Europe and America. Triple play ambitions of Some telecommunications companies in Nigeria will change the landscape of communications for ever when implemented. Globacom, 21st century and MTN with its acquired fixed wireline company,VGC communications Ltd, have made their intentions known about this innovative service and they sure have plans in place for it. Com…

- As the newly licensed cdma and Gsm operators starts breaking ground for roll out plans, indications are very strong that their might be some displacement in the Nigerian Telecoms Race. Clear favorites and pioneers like Mtn, Celtel and Glo are poised to face stiff competition from late entrants, Etisalat, Alheri and Visafone. Ordinarily, Visafone should not be classified as a major threat since they will operate in the CDMA range but the class of additional license(800Mhz spectrum) that was bought after taking over cellcom, places the company in good position to provide some unique services and Coupled with the speedy roll out plans and the pedigree of the chief promoter, Mr Jim Ovia. …

- This is even as the mobile telecom sector has contributed over N250 billion in taxes and levies to government coffers and brought about employment for over 500,000 persons directly or indirectly in the same period. This information was released in Lagos recently by Bayo Ligali, chief executive officer of mobile communications network, Celtel. Ligali was speaking at a graduation ceremony at the Lagos Business School. He further said that the mobile telecommunications sector was Nigeria’s highest user of electricity generators and that operators in the sector had purchased over 9,000 such generators so far this year and that the cost of purchase and maintenance was N80 billion. He sai…

- Oneworld Uk in collaboration with Education as a Vaccine against AIDS (EVA),Mtn foundation and national agency for AIDS control (Naca) are the promoters of this unique and innovative information services that will help young people in Nigeria access vital health information via the mobile phone. The services is segmented into two distinct services,MyQeustion and MyAnswer. MyQuestion will enable young people to ask questions through text messages, online or using a telephone hotline. By offering three free mediums to get in touch, there will be options for most young people according to their situation and choice. Even the shyest teenager will feel comfortable posing their questions a…

- Farmed-out license holder,Etisalat Nigeria will utilize the Mudabala License in the very competitive and fast growing Nigeria market.Mtn the clear market leader with over 15 million subscribers with Glo and Celtel coming a close second and third with very impressive figures, the market is hotly contested for and operators will go to any length to acquire more subscribers even in the face of declining quality of service and poor mobile value added services. Etisalat job placements in the newspapers signals the readiness to commence pre-roll out operations which is been speculated for the first quarter of 2008.The big question is,how will Etisalat pursue and join a race of six years with…

- Since the emergence of the mobile telephony in the year 2001,combined subscription has inched close to the 30 million mark,even as more subscribers are warming up to sign up.The potential is still enormous,given the fact that total population under the licensed territory (Nigeria) is about 140 million people. We can now connect to the world without the endless waiting and shoddy services that characterized the pre -Gsm era,when Nitel's monopoly held sway.Despite all the rapid expansion and coverage in most cities nationwide,however,the issue of quality of service seems to be the albatross of the mobile phone operators. The quality of mobile phone services is one of the most disc…

- nGOmobile initiative highlights the benefits of mobile technology in the developing world.Mobile technology organisation kiwanja.net has launched its latest non-profit mobile initiative;nGOmobile, a competition to help grassroots NGOs take advantage of text messaging. kiwanja.net sets up competition to offer prizes and SMS for NGOs worldwide.kiwanja.net believes that all non-profits, whatever their size and wherever they operate, should be given the opportunity to implement the latest mobile technologies in their work, and actively seeks to provide the tools to enable them to do so. The explosive entry of mobile technology into the developing world has opened up a raft of opportunities…

- Challenges for Nigeria Mobile VAS in 3g Era The granting of the 3g license to four companies without auction finally settles the hotly debated issue of 3g licensing. Apart from Alheri Engineering, other winners of the license are already operating GSM Networks in the last few years and the acquisition of the license will help to consolidate their positions and with the last Gsm Licence Holder, Mudabala finally settling for Etisalat as partner in the Nigerian deal,the stage is now set for keen competition. Over the last few years, voice has always been the major revenue base for National Mobile Operators In Nigeria. However, with the rapid development of mobile communication and the…