Efem Nkanga
18 September 2008
Lagos — Globacom's record-breaking achievements since it launched its network in June in Benin Republic may be truncated by the failure of the Beninoise government to release the frequency it allocated to the Nigerian telecoms company over one and a half years ago.
Investigations revealed that Globacom which has emerged as one of the top networks in Benin Republic since it launched its operation is yet to get a significant part of the 25 channels the Beninoise government openly allocated to it after it won the licence to operate in the country last year.
A source close to the Beninoise Ministry of Communication confirmed that the Nigerian telecommunications company has made several appeals to the Beninoise government on the need to urgently release the frequencies to it as approved to no avail.
It was gathered that when Globacom won the licence to operate cellular mobile network in Benin Republic, the government re-allocated the channels in Benin to all the four operators at 25 spectrums apiece.
However, contrary to the assurance given to Globacom by the government, only a few of the channels allocated to the network have so far been released, making it impossible for the network to embark on its expansion programme, thereby frustrating its quest to enhance its quality of service delivery.
Sources in the telecoms industry said the failure of the government to step in and ensure that Libercom, the state-owned telecoms company which is occupying the spectrum, released the channels to Globacom as earlier approved by government and relocate to its allocated spectrum, may have compromised the Beninoise government and portrayed it as ganging up to frustrate and maltreat a Nigerian company.
Sources said what made many to believe that the government might be involved in a high-wired scheme to frustrate Globacom was that most of the spectrums released to the Nigerian telecoms company so far were on the 1800 band which is not considered in the telecoms parlance as strong as the 900khz.
"In fairness to Globacom, they need the 900 band to enhance their in-door coverage. What the bulk of the 1800 band they have now can do for them is to give them good coverage on the road," said a source in Benin's telecoms regulatory body, Autorité Transitoire de Regulation de Postes et Télécommunications (ATRPT) who pleaded for anonymity.
The source said that the Beninoise government would keep its credibility intact on the issue only if it summoned the needed courage to compel Libercom to vacate the spectrum government had earlier allocated to Glo for the sake of equity, justice and fairness.
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