NCC Keen to Introduce Disruptive Technologies for Sustainable Telecoms Growth
NCC Keen to Introduce Disruptive Technologies for Sustainable Telecoms Growth
The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has stated that, in light of technological disruption, it is committed to balancing healthy competition with the entry of disruptive technologies in order to ensure the telecoms industry's long-term growth and development in Nigeria.
Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, the NCC's Executive Vice Chairman (EVC), stated this during a presentation to the Commission by a delegation from SpaceX, an American aerospace manufacturer and provider of space transportation services, in Abuja on Thursday, May 6, 2021.
SpaceX
SpaceX is currently launching a constellation of low-earth orbiting (LOE) satellites to provide low-latency, high-bandwidth Internet to all corners of the globe, and has identified Nigeria as a critical market.
Over the last several months, SpaceX has been in discussions with the NCC to begin the process of obtaining all necessary licenses to bring Starlink, its satellite-based broadband service, to Nigeria.
After making significant progress in the discussion, the Commission granted SpaceX's request for a face-to-face meeting to gain a better understanding of their proposal's prospects.
During the meeting, SpaceX's Starlink Market Access Director for Africa, Ryan Goodnight, and the company's consultant, Levin Born, provided an overview of the company's plans, expectations, licensing requests, and deployment phases.
Following the SpaceX team's presentation, the NCC's Executive Commissioner, Technical Services, Ubale Maska, who served in the absence of the EVC, stated that the NCC will work on necessary modalities to ensure that it strikes a balance between the need for healthy competition and the entry of new technologies in order to protect all industry stakeholders.
NCC Response
“We listened to your presentation and will consider it in light of our regulatory objective of ensuring an effective and sustainable telecoms ecosystem in which a licensee's operational model does not inhibit healthy competition among other licensees,” Maska told the SpaceX delegation.
Maska added that the Commission is committed to implementing necessary regulatory measures to accelerate coverage expansion in rural, unserved, and underserved areas of the country by achieving the lofty targets set out in the Nigerian National Broadband Plan (NNBP), 2020-2025.
He noted that the plan's target of 70% broadband penetration by 2025, covering 90% of the population, is also consistent with the government's 2010-2030 National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS).
Adeleke Adewolu, Executive Commissioner, Stakeholder Management; Mohammed Babajika, Director, Licensing and Authorisation; Bako Wakil, Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity; Dr. Haru Alhassan, Director, New Media and Information Security; and Oluwatoyin Asaju, Director, Spectrum Administration, were also present at the briefing.
The Commission is empowered under Section 70 (2) of the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA), 2003 to regulate the provision and use of all satellite communications services and networks, in whole or in part, within Nigeria or on a ship or aircraft registered in Nigeria.
This is to ensure a well-developed and organized satellite communications market with an appropriate legal framework that adheres to international best practices, promotes innovation, fosters competition, and ensures public safety when commercial satellite services are rendered.
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