NCC plans policy guidelines to drive diffusion of broadband service in Nigeria

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By Abbas Bolanle

Lagos. July 14, 2012. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the telecoms watchdog will be hosting the Nigerian Broadband Forum, a platform designed to develop policy guidelines on provision of broadband that will also foster the diffusion of the service in the country, the telecoms watchdog has said.

The Nigerian Broadband Forum billed to hold July 26- 27 2012, at the Eko Hotels, Victoria Island Lagos under the theme, “Demand As Catalyst For Broadband Services In Nigeria”, will be graced by Secretary-General of International Telecommunication Union (ITU), Hamadoun Toure as the special guest of honour.

Other dignitaries expected to be part of the event include Minister of Communications Technology, Omobola Johnson; Executive-Vice Chairman, NCC, Eugene Juwah, who will be delivering keynote addresses at the event.

Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Tony Ojobo says that the objective of the event is to create awareness and sensitise industry stakeholders and also obtain stakeholders input.

According to him, the broadband forum will also appraise the demand for various broadband services in the telecoms industry in Nigeria and help to determine strategies for substantially increasing penetration and usage of broadband across nationwide.

The NCC image maker says that the event will also to stimulate investment and competition in the broadband services and infrastructure markets.

The planned broadband forum will appraise economic and regulatory approaches to ubiquitous Broadband infrastructure and services; funding options and strategies for the deployment of Broadband infrastructure and services; sustaining competition in a broadband market; technologies to support deployment of broadband infrastructure and services.

Other areas to come under focus include multi-sectoral impact of broadband services on the economy; lessons from other countries (e-commerce, education, healthcare, e-payment and m-banking), among others.