ROLLING OUT FIBRE
“ We have lofty goals , but every intention of achieving them ”
— Alan Sinfield , CEO , 9mobile explains . “ In some instances , 3G is legacy technology , but when you ’ re looking at rural communities that have had no access to data so far , the speeds you can get with 3G are mindblowing in comparison .” how to use it to help customers ’ businesses perform better .”
Externally , Sinfield explains , 9mobile ’ s technological advancements need to be rolled out in step with the expectations and demands of its customers . “ It ’ s about understanding what the customers want , which is high-speed data at very affordable prices that works everywhere and when they need it ,” a challenging feat in light of the sheer size and geographical diversity of the Nigerian market . Understanding the current capabilities of the mobile network in different parts of Nigeria is essential to elevating 9mobile ’ s offerings in a sustainable way .
“ A lot of what we ’ re doing is based on tailoring our technical strategy to deliver right-sized coverage for the communities we ’ re serving ,” Sinfield
ROLLING OUT FIBRE
While 9mobile already has an operational network consisting of close to 6,000km of fibre , Sinfield notes that the market still remains largely underserved . In the main , he explains , this is due to a long-standing state of affairs tied to multiple levels of federal and state regulatory control throughout the diverse political landscape that makes up Nigeria .
“ One of the barriers , historically , to rolling out fibre in Nigeria is the fact that it ’ s such a large country made up of individual states with local governments , which means you ’ re dealing with multiple levels of government below the national level ,” he elaborates . “ What this means is that some places are charging for rights of way at rates that are just plain prohibitive .” The country ’ s minister for communications and digital economy , Dr . Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami ,
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