DESPITE huge growth in mobile devices, applications development,
data services among others in Nigeria and other markets, the newly
appointed Head of Region, Ericsson sub-Saharan Africa, Frank Jejding,
has said the potential of the African markets are yet untapped.
Jejding, which took over from Lars Linden noted that investments
in Africa is yielding fruits, but that governments in the continent
must find a way to accelerate the current level of development.
Besides, Jejding said operators should embrace managed services,
stressing that this promises reduction in capital expenditure among
others.
Speaking in Lagos at his media unveiling, he said Nigeria and
other African markets must fashion out ways to deepen broadband
penetration.
According to him, the benefit of mobility in broadband
connectivity has become very critical and government must support its
growth.
“The fact remains that where broadband connectivity has been
rapid and as reports have it, a 10 per cent broadband growth brings
about 1.3 per cent growth in GDP.
“Africa needs to combine mobility, cloud technology and
broadband. This will improve the continent’s development. I believe
that ICT solutions will address poverty, increase expansion and boost
productivity.”
On the managed service process, Jejding said the process allows
the operator to do everything technology on its business without
hindrances and be able to concentrate on other business functions
including marketing, outsourcing among others.
Managed service is the practice of outsourcing day-to-day
management responsibilities as a strategic method for improving
operations. This can include outsourcing HR-activities, Production
Support and lifecycle build/maintenance activities.
According to Jejding, Africa jumped late on the managed service
train, but he believed that soonest, managed service will be what
operators will adopt, stressing that this is already operative in
India.
Jejding, who restated the commitment of Ericsson to getting about
50 billion devices connected by 2020, stressed that the firm was also
working towards its Networked Society project for Africa.
To the out-going Ericsson chief—Linden, connectivity is critical
to the next level of development on the African continent.
Linden, who said there has been strong demand for data services,
noted that this has been constrained by poor infrastructure.
For the Managing Director, Nigeria; Head of Regional Accounts,
RSSA for Ericsson, Kamar Abass, the lack of physical infrastructure
is a problem in the development of broadband facilities.
Abass believed that to move the bandwidth from the shores to the
hinterland, there is need for a unified access control mechanism,
stressing that this will help to identify where the fibres are and
needed.
According to him, for maximum usage, government should create a
national broadband network like Australia.
The Guardian Nigeria