Ericsson and Qualcomm Technologies have completed pioneering interoperability tests for 5G standalone (SA) carrier aggregation across both FDD/TDD* and TDD/TDD bands. 5G carrier aggregation allows operators to use multiple sub-6 GHz spectrum channels simultaneously to transfer data between base stations and a 5G mobile device. Implementation of 5G carrier aggregation delivers enhanced network capacity along with improved 5G speeds and reliability in challenging wireless conditions, allowing consumers to experience smoother video streaming and enjoy faster downloads. This key 5G capability is expected to be widely deployed by operators around the world in 2021. The partners completed a 5G SA carrier aggregation test…
Author: DigitalTimesNG
More accolades continue to come the way of the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, as he was recently honoured by the National Association of State Assembly Legislators (NASAL), with a National Service Excellence Award for his transformational leadership in deepening access to telecommunications services across state constituencies of Nigeria in the last five years. The Award comes few months after Danbatta was reappointed by President Muhammadu Buhari for another term of five years as the country’s chief telecoms regulator. Hon. Uchechukwu Chukwuma, Director General of NASAL, who led a five-member delegation to…
Over 1,500 COVID-19-related calls were received and processed through the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC)’s Emergency Communications Centres (ECCs) in the peak of the pandemic in Nigeria. Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta, disclosed this during the commissioning of the Owerri, Imo State ECC over the weekend by the Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami. Danbatta said that during the total lockdown occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the ECCs played a remarkable role by providing a platform for members of the public to seek lifesaving information or support…
Airtel Nigeria has announced a strategic partnership with Google to unveil Mobile Data Platform (MDP), a new feature that enhances and digitalizes the journey of customers’ data purchase, utilization and management in Nigeria. Both organisations said in a statement that the newly introduced Mobile Data Platform, which is only available to Android Operating System (OS) users, offers a personalized experience and provides interface for data customers on the Airtel Network to purchase data plans, check data balance and receive threshold notifications seamlessly without a need for memorizing codes or short words. To access the service, Airtel customers with Android OS…
Against the backdrop of rising cases of fraud within online platforms, the Nigerian Communications Commission is once again compelled to alert the general public to the increasing incidents of fraud across various platforms, especially on social media networks. The Commission said on Thursday in a statement signed by its Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Ikechukwu Adinde, that the alert was in line with its functions and objectives under the Nigerian Communications Act (NCA) 2003, which includes the promotion and protection of the interests of telecom consumers. “The Commission hereby advises telecom consumers using any social media platform to be alert and…
Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mallam Kashifu Inuwa Abdullahi, has described the African Continent as one with great potentials especially in the development and domestication of digital innovation. Abdullahi spoke recently during the first Virtual edition of the annual Digital Africa Conference and Exhibition which held August 25-27, 2020, with the theme “Africa’s post-pandemic High Tech World.” Represented at the event by the Director, IT Infrastructure Solutions, Dr Usman Gambo Abdullahi, the NITDA DG affirmed that this year’s theme was indeed very apt, considering the resultant effect of COVID – 19 pandemic which has triggered an…
With the global economy racing to embrace digital payments, Central Banks also are looking to the future and investigating how to support innovation while maintaining monetary policy and financial stability as they issue and distribute currency. A recent survey by the Bank for International Settlements showed that 80 per cent of Central Banks surveyed are engaging in some form of Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs) work, and about 40 per cent of Central Banks have progressed from conceptual research to experimenting with concept and design. MasterCard on Wednesday announced a proprietary virtual testing environment for Central Banks to evaluate CBDC use…
Oakfil Productions Limited, a film production company, has dragged the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, before a Federal High Court in Lagos over the recent amendment of the broadcasting code. The company contended in its deposition before the court, that the NBC lacks the statutory powers to make amendments or sign the NBC code. While insisting that the recently reported amendment to the broadcasting code was an act of illegality, the company asked the court to compel NBC to comply with the procedure prescribed by the National Broadcasting Commission Act in making amendments to the code. Oakfil Productions Limited, also wants…
Ericsson is officially launching its annual Ericsson Innovation Awards (EIA) 2020, a global competition that offers university students around the world the chance to develop new, innovative ideas with support from Ericsson experts. The 2020 theme is “Reclaim the future,” which centres on addressing current and future climate challenges and focuses primarily on how information and communications technology (ICT) can provide radical climate change mitigation for consumers and industries alike. The Ericsson Innovation Awards is open to students currently enrolled in University studies. Students from around the world are invited to enter the competition and are encouraged to form diverse…
Jason Njoku, Chief Executive Officer, IrokoTV, has called on the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to clear ambiguities in the new National Broadcasting Code by holding a broader stakeholder engagement to discuss the contentious parts of the Code. Njoku made the call on Monday at a webinar organised by a law firm, Aluko and Oyebode, themed “Amendments to the 6th Edition of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code” where he was a panellist. He said his efforts to get the NBC to provide a basis for engagement were rebuffed, as the Commission neither acknowledged nor replied a letter he wrote to the acting…