NIGCOMSAT, the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd., has announced that it intends to launch the NIGCOMSAT 2 satellite, which would bring the 5G network to Nigeria.
Dr. Abimbola Alale, the company’s managing director, made the announcement during a Thursday conference in the city of Lagos with other technology industry representatives. The conference was tagged “NIGCOMSAT: The Roadmap for Enhanced Service Delivery.”
She explained that whenever telecom companies roll out 5G network services, the satellite (NIGCOMSAT 2) will be used to backhaul those operations. Dr. Alale added that backhauling refers to the process of transporting information to a location from where it can be sent over an optical fibre or network.
Telcos, according to Alale, will be able to use the NIGCOMSAT 2 satellite to extend their 5G networks to unserved areas.
She went on to say that the Nigerian government planned to have 70% of the population covered by broadband by 2025, and that NIGCOMSAT will continue collaborating with other technological companies to make that a reality.
NIGCOMSAT’s Deputy General Manager for Satellite Control and Operations, Mr. Anthony Orjinta, also shed some light by saying:
“Satelite has always been serving underserved areas because we all know that the cost of deploying terrestrial sites is quite expensive but fibre deployment is even more costly due to our environment. As the 2G, 3G, and 4G technologies are evolving, so also are the technologies in the satellite industry.”
He then went on to say that improvements in capacity similar to those seen in other technologies are also appearing in satellites. Moreover, he said, this satellite would be the first of its kind in Africa.
Each and every one of 5G’s operations would be able to rely on the satellite for backhaul, and the satellite would also bring services to unserved areas and “dark spots” where terrestrial providers couldn’t afford to go.
Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) announced last week that the proposed auction of two lots in the 3.5GHz Spectrum for the deployment of 5G services will take place in next month.
With the auction price still at $273.6 million, Nigeria’s largest telecoms, MTN is eyeing another 5G licence, to expand its reach beyond cities Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan, Kano, Owerri, and Maiduguri in Nigeria.
Moreover, Mafab Communications Limited, contender with MTN and Airtel, is yet to implement the 5G license it secured December last year.
Airtel, unbelievably, says it wants the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to grant it the licence without going through the process of auctioning.
