MTN Fixes Date To Roll Out 5G As NCC Holds 90th Edition Of The Telecom Consumer Parliament [Photos]

The Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) on Thursday held its 90th edition of the Telecommunications Consumer Parliament (TCP).

The 90th edition, which was themed “5G Technology: Opportunities and Challenges,” was attended by the Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive of the NCC, Professor Umar Danbatta, Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity at NCC, Dr. Bako Wakil, NCC executives, representatives from MTN, Airtel, Mafab, Globacom and other stakeholders in the Telecommunications industry.

Top NCC executives at the TCP

Speaking at the event, Professor Danbatta stated that the NCC has set out the regulatory instruments needed for the fast deployment of the new versatile technology (5th generation network) for the benefit of the consumers and the stakeholders.

While calling for stakeholders’ support for the 5G network, the NCC boss stated that the technology, when deployed, would benefit every stakeholder in the industry.

Professor Umar Danbatta

He said the 5G technology would help strengthen the Digital Economy Policy of the Federal Government of Nigeria.

Danbatta added that the commission would continue collaborating with stakeholders across sectors to ensure faster deployment of 5G services and accelerate the growth of Nigeria’s broadband infrastructure.

Recall that the NCC had, in May 2022, handed over the final letters of award of 5G spectrum licenses to MTN and Mafab communications, who had emerged winners of the December 3.5GHz spectrum auctions.

Stakeholders during the Telecommunications Consumer Parliament (TCP) were able to dismiss fears that the 5G network had health implications when deployed.

The panel session

Speaking during a paper presentation on the event’s theme, Director, Technical Standards and Network Integrity at NCC, Dr. Bako Wakil, noted that no health hazard resulting from the deployment of the 5G network had been recorded by any health and safety authority in the world.

He noted that the Telecommunications industry could boost Nigeria’s GDP and move the country out of recession.

Wakil, however, stated that collaboration within the industry was key to the successful deployment of 5G Services in Nigeria.

He called on stakeholders to back the NCC to explore the prospects and potentials of the new technology, which he described as enormous.

According to him, the 5G network would provide many benefits and opportunities to accelerate growth and intelligent living in the country.

He said the technology is expected to bring substantial network improvements, including higher connection speed, mobility, and capacity, as well as low-latency capabilities.

Wakil stated that while 4G dealt with human-to-machine communication, the 5G will deal with machine-to-machine communication, adding that 5G was created to meet demands that 1G, 2G, 3G, and 4G cannot meet.

A cross-section of participants at the event

He said 5G is proposed to surpass over one billion connections by the end of 2022 and two billion by the end of 2025, revealing that it is suggested to account for a fifth of the total mobile connection and more than two in five people globally will live within reach of 5G network by the end of 2025.

The NCC director stated that electromagnetic radiation emission from the 5G network is safer than the preceding generation of mobile networks, adding that the network, when deployed, would provide enormous benefits to the citizens by providing more job opportunities, creativity, and innovation.

Meanwhile, speaking during the panel session, a representative of MTN Nigeria, Chinedu Ezeigweneme, revealed that the Telecommunications giant would roll out the 5G network by August 24, 2022.

He stated that plans were already in place to ensure a smooth roll of the fifth-generation network.

See more photos from the TCP below: