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Bridging The Digital Gap: Why We Should Never Give Up On Universal Broadband Connectivity

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By Leo Chen, President of Huawei Southern Africa Region

Over the past year or so, digital transformation accelerated at an unprecedented rate in societies around the world. Whether we were working, learning, or staying in touch with friends and family, being online became more critical than ever.

Even as vast numbers of people were adapting to their new realities, however, it became increasingly apparent that equally large numbers of people were shut out from being able to do so. Given that the theme of this year’s Telecommunication & Information Society Day, which took place on 17 May, is “Accelerating Digital Transformation in challenging times​”​, it’s worth examining how big that gap is and how it can be bridged.

In Sub-Saharan Africa, for example, approximately 800-million people are not connected to the mobile internet. Of those, some 520-million can access the mobile internet but don’t, because of factors such as smartphone penetration and lack of skills while 270-million cannot access the mobile internet because they don’t have the requisite coverage. Across the region, 4G broadband coverage is at just 21 percent.

The figures are even more stark when it comes to fixed-line internet connectivity. According to figures from research firm Ovum, there are just 6.6-million fixed-line internet subscriptions in Sub-Saharan Africa.  While numbers are projected to grow three-fold by 2023, that still represents a small fraction of the region’s population. Those figures make it clear that the region needs to address a major internet infrastructure shortfall.

The benefits of growing internet accessibility and access are obvious. In 2019, in Sub-Saharan Africa, more than 650 000 jobs were supported directly by the mobile ecosystem and more than 1.4-million informal jobs in 2019. It also contributed more than US$17-billion to public funding through the course of the year.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) has also established that a 10% increase in mobile broadband penetration in Africa would generate an increase of 2.5% in GDP per capita.  That’s to say nothing of the benefits that better and more affordable mobile internet can have on education, healthcare, and government services. With easily accessible internet connectivity, people can search for jobs, gain new skills, and access government services without having to travel to a physical location and potentially stand in long queues.

As we have seen, the pandemic has caused economic and social devastation and changed the way we live, work, study and socialize, bringing about an era of social distancing. One of the most significant changes is the acceleration of digital transformation. African policymakers have realised that access to broadband is critical for mitigating the effects of the pandemic and boosting economic recovery in the post-Covid era. With changes in people’s behaviours and mindsets, broadband will also continue to provide opportunities for African countries to leapfrog obstacles to sustainable and inclusive socioeconomic development.

Of course, the responsibility to create access doesn’t lie with government alone. Corporates also have a role to play. At Huawei, we recognise this and have backed a number of initiatives that aim to help grow access in areas where it’s needed most. In July last year, for example, we launched the DigiSchool project in partnership with a local operator and anon-profit organisation. As response to the call to ensure that all South African school children can read fluently for meaning, the programme aims to connect more than 100 urban and rural primary schools to broadband internet.

Additionally, we’ve rolled out DigiTrucks in several African countries, which enable everyone from students to entrepreneurs to learn how to use computers and connect with the digital world. Earlier this year, we also announced a partnership with Ghanaian operators to build more than 2000 base stations in remote areas of that country to connect the unconnected.

From a healthcare perspective, meanwhile, with the broadband connections, Lifebank, a pioneering Nigerian startup that delivers blood and other essential medical supplies to hospitals. By keeping the startup and its riders connected, we can ensure that hospitals get urgent supplies when they are needed.

These kinds of projects, however, only serve to illustrate how much need for accessible, affordable broadband there really is across Sub-Saharan Africa. They represent a glimpse at the kind of access that everyone should have and which players across society should look to provide.

For more than a decade, the United Nations has recognised that the internet is a catalyst for sustainable development. As the events of the past year or so have shown, however, far too many people are unable to enjoy those rights because they lack access and connectivity. We will all benefit from widening access and bridging this divide. There is no question that it should be a major priority for governments, corporates, and civil society players alike and that it should be an ongoing one.  

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Airtel Launches TV Commercial for Home Broadband Connectivity

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Leading telecommunications provider Airtel Nigeria has launched a new Television commercial, to showcase the exceptional benefits its Home Broadband connectivity.

The TVC, stars the popular Nollywood actor, Eyinna Nwigwe, who plays the character of a young man navigating through his daily remote work routine and how he manages to maintain a balance between his work and personal life, staying effortlessly connected with his business associates and loved ones across the globe.

Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Femi Oshinlaja, while commenting on the benefits of the Airtel BroadBand, said, “The high-speed internet and reliable connection of the Airtel Home Broadband makes it the preferred choice for those who require a reliable connection and access to data.

“This offers users the ease and speed to access websites, stream videos, and download files. Moreover, the network’s reliable connection ensures that users experience fewer disruptions in their online activities. As such, this makes it the go-to option for those who need a dependable connection to get their work done or stay connected with friends and family.”

The Airtel Home Broadband offers a Basic package, with unlimited internet and up to 40Mbps download speed; the Standard package, with 100Mbps download speed; the Entertainment package with=200Mbps download speed, the Professional package with200Mbps download speed; and the Infinity package which offers up to 1GBps download speed. All these packages, according to Airtel Nigeria officials, offer unlimited internet access.

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Glo Unveils 4G LTE Advanced with Rollout of 4000 Sites

The Glo LTE Advanced is the power of three data networks combined into one, according to Globacom. The company stated that “It is faster, stronger, and better,” and went on to describe the procedure for how new and existing customers can connect to the network.

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Globacom has launched its Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution Advanced network (4G-LTE Advanced) with more than 4,000 LTE Advanced sites planned for rollout in major cities across Nigeria to ensure nationwide coverage of the network.

This will make Glo stand out in the 4G broadband space in Nigeria. The simultaneous implementation of the service in major cities nationwide is anticipated to massively boost economic and commercial activity as well as increase professional, educational, and business productivity.

The Glo LTE Advanced is the power of three data networks combined into one, according to Globacom. The company stated that “It is faster, stronger, and better,” and went on to describe the procedure for how new and existing customers can connect to the network.

“It is a simple process. For those who already have 4G SIMs, they will be able to enjoy the Glo LTE Advanced service. But for those who do not have the 4G SIMs, they first need to upgrade their SIM cards to USIM (4G SIM). The upgrade process is also simple, as all you require is a SIM Swap, which takes two minutes. The customer also needs a device that is 4G-enabled. Then, you will experience seamless and super-fast mobile Internet services on the Glo network,” the network disclosed. It urged subscribers to visit the nearest Gloworld shop to connect to the Glo 4G LTE Advanced and enjoy the boundless opportunities offered by the advanced and superior technology.

The demand for bandwidth and high speed capabilities is rising along with the steady expansion of smart devices in Nigeria as users share, download, and upload more films, music, and documents and utilize mobile applications that use a lot of bandwidth. These subscribers’ experiences will be improved by having access to inexpensive 4G LTE Advanced technology. Glo has also acquired and added 4G spectrum on the 2.6GHz band to significantly improve capacity and quality.

The company described the Glo 4G LTE Advanced as ‘transformational’ because it will have a big impact on people who use a lot of data as well as government and corporate organizations like banks, oil and gas companies, academic and health institutions, which depend largely on reliable data connection for their operations.

Globacom also stated that “our subscribers today already enjoy super fast music, video and movie content downloads. They are also streaming content on their phones and other devices.  But the new Glo 4G LTE Advanced network offers subscribers a significantly improved experience. The video and voice quality in video calls on different applications like Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp, Viber etc is a lot clearer while the picture quality is crispier, and the transmission is faster”.

The company also affirmed in the statement that the 4G LTE Advanced will also enable optimum performance for use in a variety of other life-enhancing cases such as telemedicine, e-agriculture, 3D Games, etc.

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Broadband

Airtel Launches TV Commercial, Showcases Home Broadband Connectivity

Published

on

, SiliconNigeria

Leading telecommunications provider Airtel Nigeria has launched a new Television commercial, to showcase the exceptional benefits its Home Broadband connectivity.

The TVC, stars the popular Nollywood actor, Eyinna Nwigwe, who plays the character of a young man navigating through his daily remote work routine and how he manages to maintain a balance between his work and personal life, staying effortlessly connected with his business associates and loved ones across the globe.

Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Femi Oshinlaja, while commenting on the benefits of the Airtel BroadBand, said, “The high-speed internet and reliable connection of the Airtel Home Broadband makes it the preferred choice for those who require a reliable connection and access to data.

“This offers users the ease and speed to access websites, stream videos, and download files. Moreover, the network’s reliable connection ensures that users experience fewer disruptions in their online activities. As such, this makes it the go-to option for those who need a dependable connection to get their work done or stay connected with friends and family.”

The Airtel Home Broadband offers a Basic package, with unlimited internet and up to 40Mbps download speed; the Standard package, with 100Mbps download speed; the Entertainment package with=200Mbps download speed, the Professional package with200Mbps download speed; and the Infinity package which offers up to 1GBps download speed. All these packages, according to Airtel Nigeria officials, offer unlimited internet access.

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