Search This Blog

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Etisalat Upgrade network to 3G from dangote telcom group.

Etisalat buys 3G unit of Dangote
Group, plans $400m network
upgrade in 2011
By Benjamin Amu
Lagos. December 1, 2010. Etisalat
Nigeria, the nation ’s fifth GSM mobile
operator today said it has purchased
for an undisclosed sum, Alheri Mobile
Service Limited, the wholly-owned
telecoms subsidiary and 3G licensee of
business conglomerate, Dangote
Group.
Both companies, citing non-disclosure
terms, did not disclosed financial
details of the 3G deal but the
announcement ends speculations that
they have been in talks as part of
Etisalat’s vision to offer new services to
its subscribers.
The acquisistion also puts Etisalat
Nigeria in the position to offer access
to full use of a 3G licence alongside
rival “big three” GSM operators: MTN
Nigeria, Glo Mobile and Airtel.
Etisalat also says it is spending $400
million in 2011 to upgrade and
enhance offering on its network.
CEO, Etisalat Nigeria, Steven Evans,
stated that the group is delighted to
acquire the company which has the 3G
licence, which is essential element for
further development of the mobile
broadband in Nigeria.
According to him, “ we have placed
strong emphasis on offering data
services to all our customers from
launch through enabling EDGE on all
our cell sites throughout Nigeria. Now
with 3G, we can further develop our
data and mobile broadband portiofolio
and offer our customers even higher
levels of services. There is pent-up
demand in Nigeria for broadband and
we intend to be leaders in satisfying
it ”
According to him, “we are not going to
make that same mistake. We are going
to make sure we have everything okay
before launching the services. We are
going to work on our architecture and
ensure that we have adequate
infrastruture in place to carry out the
services.”
He said the group is not going to grow
its capacity without having the
capacity to withstand the growth, and
thus added that it would cost
$50million to roll-out the 3G network
across the country.
Evans said that the service would be
launched before the first half of 2011
in major cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt
and Abuja while other cities would be
covered over time.
He adds that with this acqusistion the
group would be able enhance its voice
and data services while noting that the
present 3G network in the country is
currently not in standard with what is
obtainable.
Etisalat thus said that the group would
run a pilot test to ensure that their roll-
out on this platform meets every
requirements before it is offered to the
Nigerian market to ensure that
customers gets value for their money.
He charged operators in the country to
enhance their radio capacities to
support the submarine cables that
have landed in other to supply quality
data and voice services to their various
customers.
Chairman, EMTS, Hakeem Bello Osagie,
expressed satisfaction with the
acquisistion of the 3G licence and the
professional way in which the
negotiations were led by Chairman of
the Dangote Conglomerate, Aliko
Dangote and his team while adding
that he looks forward to further co-
operation in future.
Managing Director and head of
Dangote Communications (DANCOM),
Boye Olusanya, stated that “ It makes
sense for us to sell Alheri Mobile to
Etisalat Nigeria as we believe that the
market here can only sustain four
mobile operators in the medium to
long term. We intend to use the capital
raised to develop our other assets in
the telecoms market and we look
forward to continuing to deepen our
relationship with Etisalat Nigeria

15 comments:

  1. Thank you for another magnificent post. The place else may anybody get that kind of information in such a
    perfect method of writing? I've a presentation next week, and I'm at the search for
    such info.

    Feel free to visit my web-site - garciniacambogia reviews

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank you for another great post. Where else may just anybody get that kind of information in
    such an ideal means of writing? I've a presentation next week, and I am at the search for such info.

    My web page ... muscle gain

    ReplyDelete
  3. After going over a few of the blog articles on your site, I honestly appreciate your way of blogging.
    I book-marked it to my bookmark site list and will be checking back
    soon. Take a look at my website too and tell me your opinion.


    Stop by my page; Fase cream

    ReplyDelete
  4. Asking questions are actually nice thing if you are not understanding
    something totally, but this paragraph provides good understanding even.


    My web site Pure Garcinia Cambogia

    ReplyDelete
  5. My family members all the time say that I am wasting my time here at net, however I know
    I am getting knowledge everyday by reading such
    nice articles.

    My weblog: buy garcinia cambogia

    ReplyDelete
  6. We are a group of volunteers and starting a new scheme
    in our community. Your website offered us with valuable information to work on.
    You have done an impressive job and our whole community will be thankful to you.


    My web page; pure green coffee reviews

    ReplyDelete
  7. You can definitely see your enthusiasm within the article you write.
    The arena hopes for even more passionate writers such as you who are not afraid to say how they believe.
    At all times go after your heart.

    Here is my webpage :: acia ultra review

    ReplyDelete
  8. I was curious if you ever considered changing the layout of your
    site? Its very well written; I love what youve got to say.
    But maybe you could a little more in the way of content
    so people could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1 or
    2 pictures. Maybe you could space it out better?


    Feel free to visit my webpage ... Stem Cell Therapy

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hello! I know this is kind of off topic but I was wondering which blog platform
    are you using for this site? I'm getting tired of Wordpress because I've had issues with hackers and I'm looking at options for another platform. I would be great if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

    Look at my web site - Nuvocleanse And Mitoslim

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks , I have just been looking for information about this topic for
    a long time and yours is the best I've discovered so far. However, what about the conclusion? Are you positive about the supply?

    my page: Diet Patch

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi! I know this is somewhat off topic but I was wondering which
    blog platform are you using for this website? I'm getting tired of Wordpress because I've had issues with hackers
    and I'm looking at options for another platform. I would be awesome if you could point me in the direction of a good platform.

    Feel free to visit my blog Best Muscle Growth Supplement

    ReplyDelete
  12. I used to be able to find good information from your blog
    articles.

    My homepage cash loans in 1 hour

    ReplyDelete
  13. WOW just what I was searching for. Came here by searching for product tribulus terrestris

    Also visit my website; Vimax Volume

    ReplyDelete
  14. What's up Dear, are you genuinely visiting this web page daily, if so then you will absolutely get nice experience.

    Feel free to surf to my homepage ... garcinia cambogia reviews

    ReplyDelete
  15. I wanted to thank you for this fantastic read!! I definitely
    enjoyed every little bit of it. I have got you bookmarked to check out new things you post…

    Max Thermo Burn Muscle

    ReplyDelete