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Nigeria's Second National Operator, Globacom, has taken a leap in its quest to rule the African telecommunications market with the award of a licence to provide GSM services in Republic of Benin.
Nigeria's Second National Operator, Globacom, has taken a leap in its quest to rule the African telecommunications market with the award of a licence to provide GSM services in Republic of Benin.
The Beninoise Government granted the licence to Globacom last Friday after it emerged tops in a keen contest in which several telecom operators including Lab Green Networks of Libya and Telecom So participated. Government sources said Globacom was preferred ahead of the other bidders because of its technical superiority and ability to deliver.
The sources said the Beninoise Government was also swayed by Globacom's demonstrable ability to commence services in that country within 60 days, a key requirement of the country's telecom authorities.
Benin Republic had recently suspended the licences of two of the GSM operators in the country, MTN and Atlantique Telecom, which is controlled by Emirates Telecommunications, over dispute on regulatory fees. The suspension of the licences prompted the government to hold a new round of bidding to award one more GSM licence to improve telecom services in the country.
The granting of GSM licence to Globacom by the Beninoise Government is seen as a boost for the network's efforts to rule the African telecommunication market. Sources at the company described the licence as a step towards the realization of its vision of becoming the largest, most successful information, entertainment and telecommunications solutions provider in Africa.
Globacom, which started operations only in 2003, is currently the fastest growing network in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, with a subscriber base of 13 million. It achieved a record one million subscribers in less than nine months of operation. Its coverage extends to over 40,000 towns, communities and villages all over Nigeria.
Although, Globacom launched services two years after the commencement of GSM services in Nigeria, it has been at the forefront of revolutionary changes in the telecom industry. It pioneered the Per Second Billing (PSB) system at launch in 2003 when other operators said it was not possible to offer the payment option until 2007. It also led the crashing of SIM cost to industry average of N200 and call tariffs to as low as N10 per minute, thus making it possible for millions of Nigerians to own a GSM.
Globacom has pioneered a host of value added services in Nigeria including Multimedia Messaging Services, mobile internet, voice SMS, GPRS roaming and the revolutionary Blackberry.
The company has successfully tested the 3G network, the latest technology in the industry and is about to launch the technology.
Its gateway subsidiary, Glo Gateway is already a major player in international telecommunications services, while the fixed line network, Broadband Access is already in service while formal launch will be held in the next couple of weeks.