NCC mulls new guidelines on active infrastructure sharing

Determined to achieve the set objectives and targets clearly outlined in the National Broadband Plan (NBP), the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is keenly considering the development of fresh regulatory guidelines which support active infrastructure sharing among telecommunications operators in the country.

Market observers are of the view that current industry guidelines on collocation are limited in terms of scope, and encourage the sharing of non-core elements of the network such as ducts, trenches, masts, antennas and tower structures.

This is the reason why four high-capacity underwater cable systems which landed the country have been virtually stranded

NCC mulls new guidelines on active infrastructure sharing on the coastline, unable to deliver service to the hinterland.

As at mid-2013, an estimated 30,000 kilometres of optic fibre had been laid in the country, according to the industry regulator.

Industry observers say that most of the existing terrestrial fibre is centred in Lagos and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), where, as a result of a lack of active infrastructure sharing across the market, multiple cables operated by different firms serve the same high-traffic areas.

The federal government has already set the target of an 80 percent growth penetration in 3G services by 2018, in line with the National Broadband Plan (NBP).

“To meet this target, we are considering active infrastructure sharing at the commission to boost broadband penetration in the contry”, said Austin Nwalune, director, spectrum administration and control at the NCC.

A robust active infrastructure guideline will include sharing of Base Transceiver Station (BTS) / Node B, spectrum, antenna, feeder cable, Radio Access Network (RAN), microwave radio equipment, billing platform, switching centres, router, Base Station Controller (BSC) / Radio Network Controller (RNC), optical fibre / wired access and backbone transmission network, database etc.

Some mobile operators are concerned that embarking on active infrastructure sharing initiatives could mean losing competitive advantage.

Speaking with BusinesDay, Funke Opeke, chief executive officer at MainOne, an underwater cable operator, stressed the need to develop robust guidelines on infrastructure sharing to enable broadband companies compete effectively.

“British Telecoms (BT) provides fibre infrastructure to all players in the industry but there are clear frameworks for infrastructure sharing. When you look at our economy and GDP per capita, you cannot afford to have broadband without cost efficiencies”, she said.

Lending his view, Lanre Ajayi, president, Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) said one of the solutions to the obvious non-co-location of facilities among service providers is that the government, regulatory agencies and relevant stakeholders should make all operators to see themselves as partners in the industry rather than competitors.

“Records have shown that most co-location sites are situated in urban areas, leaving out the rural areas. The Association is of the opinion that government should come up with incentives to encourage the co-location companies to provide services in the rural areas”, he added.

Sharing telecoms infrastructure is an alternative that lowers the cost of network deployment, especially in rural areas or marginal markets.

According to technology experts, mobile infrastructure sharing may also stimulate migration to new technologies and the deployment of mobile broadband. It may also enhance competition between mobile operators and service providers, when safeguards are used to prevent anti-competitive behaviour.

Ben Uzor