The issue of fifth-generation wireless network known as 5G has brought a lot of theories from naysayers and religious folks. Coming at a time the world is neck deep in Corona Virus known as Covid 19 pandemic, it was a lockdown time, the global economy was virtually on standstill that was the time 5G was popular and making inroad in Africa. This wonderful technology was viewed from the angle of “they have come to kill us with this new tech”, a very religious nation like us, that was the situation that “greeted 5G”
Having seen the situation, apprehension and scientism that surrounded this noble technology, The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) didn’t sit back and watch as people are being misled by some clerics and people that know little or nothing about 5G saying that it was the cause of Covid 19. As a responsible organisation, NCC invested so much into sensitization, reach out and all forms of awareness disabusing the minds of Nigerians from 5G technology. Did they do a good job? Oh, yes, NCC tried in this aspect, as it stands today a lot of perceptions surrounding 5G has changed and people are waiting to embrace this technology.
Costing the commission so much, the commission started by having Essay of 5G technology. This is to ensure that the young and impressionable ones aren’t deceived about the technology. The Commission awarded 1ST PRIZE – Laptop, Printer and Cash Prize of N500,000,2ND PRIZE – Cash Prize of N300,000 and 3RD PRIZE – Cash Prize of N200,000. This has demonstrated how serious the NCC is about sensitization.
With no time to dilly dally, the regulator Inaugurated Committee on Spectrum Auction for 5G Deployment. This singular move placed Nigeria amongst the few countries in the sub-Saharan African to have a comprehensive roadmap in 5G deployment. Speaking during the inauguration, Danbatta said, apart from developing the IM for auctioning of C-band spectrum for 5G deployment in Nigeria, the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the committee will include the development of an award process to be used pursuant to which the grant of Spectrum licenses may be made. The Information Memorandum (IM) defines the process that the Commission has decided to adopt for the auctioning of the 3.5GHz spectrum band. It will provide information on the Nigerian telecommunications market, details of the Spectrum to be made available, the pre-qualification process, the Auction process and indicative timetable.”
“Having put in these efforts and resources to secure, amongst others, contiguous Spectrum in a premium band like the 3.5GHz band that is being adopted as the best Spectrum for early deployment of 5G with about 70 per cent of 5G global deployment so far, it has become imperative to immediately re-purpose the 3.5GHz band in Nigeria for auction in accordance with best practices”, Danbatta added.
5G has many benefits and some of them are a greater speed in the transmissions, a lower latency and therefore greater capacity of remote execution, a greater number of connected devices and the possibility of implementing virtual networks, providing more adjusted connectivity to concrete needs. Speed in 5G transmissions can approach 15 or 20 Gbps, this will make Nigerians enjoy a higher speed we can use to access files, programs and remote applications in a totally direct and without waiting.
Anthony Nwosu. C
“Having put in these efforts and resources to secure, amongst others, contiguous Spectrum in a premium band like the 3.5GHz band that is being adopted as the best Spectrum for early deployment of 5G with about 70 per cent of 5G global deployment so far, it has become imperative to immediately re-purpose the 3.5GHz band in Nigeria for auction in accordance with best practices”
