mobile communication in nigeria

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IEEE Nigeria Section, Feb 13, 2010 1

MOBILE COMMUNICATION IN NIGERIA:

PROBLEMS & PROBABLE SOLUTIONS

By

Prof. Augustine C Odinma, Ph.D (London), CEng, FIET, FNSE, FBCS, MNIMProf. of Telecommunications & Computer Engineering

School of IT & Communications (SITC)American University of Nigeria, Yola.

Formerly, Head, Mobility Network Solutions, Bell Labs, EMEA


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INTRODUCTION

Motivation for This Work

Performance Evaluat. of GSM Connectivity

Anti-Monopoly Issues

Quality of Service to Consumers

Tele-Density & Telecom Subscribers Consumer Parliament and Call Centre Option Operators Inappropriate Behaviours

Uniform Ring-back Tone Displayed or Announced Error Messages

Telecom Towers & Masts


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MOTIVATION FOR THIS RESEARCH

To uncover the extent of Network Congestion

To examine anti-monopoly possibility

To Examine the quality of service problems

To review some of the inappropriate behaviours ofoperators

Examine the Impact of the Consumer Parliament

To examine some other activities of the Regulator Above all, to recommend Solutions


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PERFORMANCE EVALUATION OF GSM

MOBILE NETWORKS

All GSM phone calls in Nigeria are toll calls

Two Types of Tests conducted: Connectivity & Interconn.

Connectivity: Calls within the same network elements

InterConnectivity: Calls betwn two different Operators net Scenario chosen so no fault

Two Cities Tested Abuja & Ikeja

6500 test calls made per city

Original Test Conducted in 2005 But, Sample tests in 2007 & 2009 are worse


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CONNECTIVITY CALL FAILURES TABLE

OPERATOR

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4

FRID SAT MON TUESOP1 OP1 4% 2% 15% 12%

OP2 OP2 0% 0% 0% 0%

OP3 OP3 98% 96% 86% 93%

OP4 OP4 0% 1% 18% 1%

APCF for Connectivity - Morning (Ikeja)

MORNING

From To

+ OP3 reports network problem during the test period

OPERATOR

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5

Thur FRID SAT MON TUE

OP1 OP1 94% 0% 0% 28% 17%OP2 OP2 0% 2% 0% 0% 0%

OP3 OP3 86% 100% 100% 95% 70%

OP4 OP4 0% 0% 38% 0% 1%

AFTERNOON

+ OP3 reports network problem during the test period

From To

APCF for Connectivity - Afternoon (Ikeja)

APCF = Average % Call Failures

Scenario chosen so no fault

Two Cities Tested Abuja & Ikeja

6500 test calls made per city Original Test Conducted in 2005

But, Sample tests in 2006 & 2007 are worse


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INETRCONNECTIVITY CALL FAILURES TABLE

OPERATOR

Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4

FRID SAT MON TUES FRID SAT MON TUES

OP1 OP3 15% 10% 45% 50% 30% 5% 45% 75%

OP1 OP2 5% 0% 5% 15% 0% 0% 35% 15%

OP1 OP4 0% 0% 15% 30% 0% 5% 15% 15%

OP2 OP3 90% 80% 75% 80% 75% 50% 90% 70%

OP2 OP1 20% 15% 35% 30% 35% 10% 50% 65%

OP2 OP4 35% 15% 55% 55% 75% 75% 50% 5%

OP3 OP1 100% 100% 95% 90% 100% 100% 100% 15%

OP3 OP2 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 100% 65%

OP3 OP4 100% 100% 100% 90% 100% 100% 100% 55%

OP4 OP1 55% 40% 80% 75% 10% 40% 80% 10%

OP4 OP2 65% 60% 75% 60% 50% 55% 55% 65%

OP4 OP3 55% 20% 90% 65% 80% 40% 80% 75%

MORNING AFTERNOON

From To

APCF For IKEJA Interconnectivi ty

APCF = Average % Call Failures


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CONNECTIVITY TEST RESULT

Abuja:Individual OP 10% Failures

Collective OP 25% Failures

OP = Mobile Operator

Connectivity - Tests forInternal Congestions


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INERTERCONNECTIVITY TEST RESULT

Interconnectivity - Tests forCongestions between Operators

> 10 Failures in 100 calls

Sometimes > 50 Failures

Each OP Service Vary

from City to City


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ANTI-MONOPOLY ISSUES

Why the Second National Operator (SNO)?

Where is NITEL?

GLO in Telecom?

Prediction: GLO May become Private Monopoly

in the future It is becoming a dominant operator


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QUALITY OF SERVICE TO CONSUMERS

Cross talks

Quality Fluctuations of the GSM Networks- Performance Test by NCC & by me Inconclusive

. Vmobile Feb 2005 Bumper Offer,

. Glo - July 2005 15% More credit

. MTN Ending 3Q, 2005 Promo

. How about the Glo free call Promo Dec. 2010

Cost of Calls in relation to Network QOS

- Drop Calls

- Refunds in UK/US

- Some profits due to drop calls

NCC would need to do more to curb the Fraudulent acts of Operat.


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TELE-DENSITY & SUBSCRIBERS

SIM Card Production

ARPU Concerns

Churn Effects

Need to define clearly what constitutes Tele-density


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CUSTOMER SERVICE/PARLIAMENT

How many consumers are served?

Could another option be more effective?

Would that option be cost effective?

CALL CENTRE OPTION: Alternative/complement to Parliament

Use part of the numbers reserved for Emergency Services

Would Lead to unprecedented Repertoire of Data

Respond to at least 50% of complaints


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OPERATORS INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOURS

Number prioritising

Congestion and Drop calls

SIM Cards

RING-BACK TONES


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ERROR MESSAGES

MTN:

GLO:

Zain:

NOTE:

1) Error in connection; 2) Network Busy;

3) The number you are calling is unavailable

1) Sorry Network Busy; 2) Sorry your call cannot be completed

at the moment; 3) Error in connection; 4) No Answer;

5) Number Busy; 6) Not Reachable at the Moment, please try later.

6) Call Rejected but call did not reach destinations

1) Error in connection; 2) Network Busy

GLO 4 & 5, MTN 3 erroneously sent,Whereas phone is alive and registered


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PROLIFERATION OF TOWER & MASKS

Section 1.6.7 (Co-location) of the specifications deals with

how operators would share Towers.Towers shall be designed and built to accommodate a

minimum of three service providers on the same structure, if

over 25 metres in height. The owner of the tower must certify

to the NCC that the tower is available for use by othertelecommunications service providers on a reasonable cost

and non-discriminatory basis. The NCC will have the final

authority of arbitration where any serious disagreement that

threatens collocation arises.

NCC SHOULD ENFORCE ITS RULES


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CONCLUSIONS/ RECOMMENDATIONS

We are making progress , but often mischievously hyped.

We must manage operators outputs properly and address theissue of customer service

The 2020 Agenda with a mediocre & inadequate telecomsystem is a mirage

Telecom Long term strategic plan for the nation is inevitable

We must plan our telecom proactively and not reactively

The way we communicate between our command and controlcentres is very insecure and needs a review

Current Telecom Indicators for national planning are

incorrect and need to be redefined There is need for a nation-wide emergency communication

system

Operators Ring Back Tone need to be unified


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THANK YOU !!!


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