This
is not the best of time for millions of Nigeria GSM operators especially those
using internet bundles as CKN Nigeria has just gotten classified information
that the two major satellite providers for voice and data applications in
Nigeria the SAT3 being provided by Nigcomsat
and Globacom multi billion Naira fibre optic sea laid cable have all collapsed.
According
to a very competent source in the known, this has been the reason for the near
total collapse of the networks that most Nigerians have been noticing in the
past weeks.
Infact
the whole issue got to a head last week that it was practically difficult for
any major communication to be made on all the four major GSM networks.
Since
practically all the GSM companies depended on Nigcomsat SAT3 fibre optic cable and Glo1.
It
will be recalled that Nigcomsat lost one of its satellite some years back and
till date the satellite that cost the
federal government of Nigeria billions of naira was not recovered.
It
is yet to be ascertained what must have caused the present collapse of the only
Major satellite cable providing services not only to the telecom industry but defence
and other major sensitive organizations in government and private sectors.
If
the Sat3 collapse was embarrassing, the most devastating of them all is the
GLO1 fibre sea cable that was laid in the Atlantic about three years ago for
which Nigeria’s sole indigenous GSM operator Globacom made so many funfairs
about.
The
fibre optic sea cable the first of its kind in Africa passed through Europe and
some parts of Africa before landing in Lagos.
At
launch,Globacom said it was the solution that Nigerians need to surpass its
present data and voice problems.
But
it seems all that has now become history because Globacom system was completely
shut down for days.
Its
customers were unable to make neither call nor deliver data throughout the down
time
When
it came up at some point, Glo customers were promised some few days of grace and
compensation for lost time.
The
collapse of the two major Sea fibre optic Cables will drastically
affect most of the 99.4 million Gsm users in the country especially customers
of GLO,MTN and Etisalat.
For
now Airtel seems to be having a relatively swell time since it has migrated
most of its current customers to another satellite provided by M-One.
This
was the reason why most Airtel customers have not experienced network failures
as associated with other networks especially MTN and Globacom.
Our
attempt to speak to those in charge of Corporate Communications at Nigcomsat
and Globacom was unsuccessful as of the time of going to press.
But
in an email reply to our enquiries,Airtel Director of Corporate Communications
,Emeka Oparah assured all their customers of best speed coverage on its 3.75G network
in the country .He said his company has the largest 3.75G network in Nigeria
with data imprints in 36 States of the Federation and the FCT…CKN