Alheri Engineering, owned by business magnate Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Phase 3 Telecom and PHCN have concluded plans on a fibre optic network that will cover the Eastern region of the Country.

The effort is in line with government's effort at encouraging a robust national fibre optics build out. Both companies tied up the agreement in Benin, the Edo State capital on Tuesday.

Specifically, Alheri and Phase 3 are jointly create a "One Network" of over 14, 000km of aerially deployed Fibre Optics Cables in Nigeria using PHCN Power lines.

Work on the first 472km from Benin to Port Harcourt commenced yesterday and the project will be completed and available for commercial use in 90 days, President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote told and excited gathering.

The development elicited a promise from the Minister of Information and Communications, Prof Dora Akunyili who said the government would spare no efforts in encouraging anybody rolling out fibre optics services in the country. Speaking through the Minister of State, Alhaji Ikra Aliyu Bilbris, Prof Akunyili said Telecommunications is one of the arrowheads which the government is pushing forward to enable it achieve the Seven Point Agenda of the administration.

And because Fibre Optics will also enhance broadband penetration, the Minister appealed to the organisation to maintain an open source approach and give their services to the other organisations.Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications, NCC, Engr Ernest Ndukwe, in his remarks said the NCC would always rejoice at the coming of a new operator into the market because such coming means increased options for operators and subscribers. Encouraging the organizations to quickly develop their services and take them beyond the shores of the country, Ndukwe pointed out that "there are some measures of reliability that come with power lines. Nobody can climb power cables and vandalise them because of the risk of lost of life. I am happy at the rollout and urge them to cover the country very quickly.

"Mr. Stanley Jegede, CEO, Phase 3, called the project a convergence in building the most reliable backbone that will create high capacity to end users, pledging that the parties will not fail to deliver.

The launch of the project will bridge a lot of capacity needs in the telecommunications sector. Speaking recently at an interactive forum in Abuja, Prof Akunyili had wondered why there was dearth of fixed lines in the country, tracing it to the absence of a robust fibre optic backbone.

But looking at what the project could do for the country, Alhaji Dangote said: "The 'One Network' Fiber Optic Network will not only be used for voice, data and video transmissions, but will also be used as leverage to strengthen delivering in areas of e-Governance, Telemedicine, imparting Literacy and Information Security, among other facilities.

These no doubt will contribute to the rapid development of the country, the region and Africa as a whole."Even in the short run, Dangote is optimistic that the launch of the project will have a positive impact on Quality of Service, QoS, of telecommunications transmission in Nigeria, and guarantee cost reduction to end users.