Expect reduction in data price, Adebayo assures Subscribers

Success Damian:

Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunications Operators of Nigeria (ALTON) Engr. Gbenga Adebayo, has assured subscribers of reduction in the price of data if the present efforts of the Federal Government on Right of Way (RoW) are continued.

Adebayo gave the assurance on behalf of Telecom operators while stating that a lot of factors had been responsible for the current price regime, which many Nigerians are not comfortable with, he pointed at such factors as high cost of bandwidth and Right of Way.

According to the association’s helms man, the recent declaration of telecoms infrastructure as critical national infrastructure would also ensure the protection of telecoms facilities and decrease expenditure on repairs.

                                                                     
Engr. Adebayo observed that with recent efforts of the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, which have started yielding positive results, Nigerians would see a reduction in prices soon.

“We commend the honourable minister for his interventions, which have prompted some state governors to reduce Right of Way charges. Our members do not even have to pay for RoW in some states. This is a good development that will lead to a reduction in the cost of telecoms services soon,” Adebayo disclosed.

According to Adebayo, telcos were also now enjoying the first level of protection from government subsequent upon declaration of telecoms infrastructure as critical national infrastructure, an accomplishment which was made possible by Pantami.

It would be recalled that while announcing the Federal Government’s position on telecoms infrastructure last month, the minister stated that the security agencies in the country were thenceforth responsible for the protection of telecommunications infrastructure across the country.

According to him, this followed the presidential approval of his request to that effect. With the approval, he said the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), Defence Headquarters (DHQ), Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Department of State Security Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), had been notified of the President’s directive.