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MTN says Transfer of Visafone spectrum in national, consumer interest

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Rising from yesterday’s public hearing on MTN Nigeria’s acquisition of Visafone and the controversy around the transfer of its 800MHz spectrum, MTN has commended the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for stimulating market growth and providing a level playing field for all market players.

According to Johnson Oyewo, MTN’s Senior Manager, Regulatory Affairs, who represented the company at the hearing, stated that the NCC, has introduced a number of regulatory initiatives such as Spectrum Refarming, Passive Infrastructure Sharing and Spectrum Trading amongst others which provide a level playing field for all market players, unlocks access to essential facilities and will go a long way in deepening industry growth and dynamism.

“These initiatives which promote market efficiencies should be leveraged by all market players to their advantage. The newly introduced Spectrum Trading Guidelines further strengthens healthy competition as every market player can freely engage in spectrum trading which is readily available in the secondary market with some market players who are underutilizing same,” he said.

Two of MTN’s competitors, Airtel and 9Mobile had argued that transferring the 800MHz from Visafone Communications to MTN would substantially lessen competition in the data market segment and ultimately create a monopoly in the telecommunications industry. But Oyewo, says nothing could be farther from the truth.

He stated that the NCC in its Competition Determination found the Mobile data market segment where the 800 MHz spectrum will be deployed to be effectively competitive and that competitors have failed to substantiate allegations of conducts deemed to result in substantial lessening of competition as specified by the NCC in its Competition Practices Regulations 2007.

According to Oyewo, the competitors arguments were academic and based on fear.

He also went on to state that the ‘democratisation of spectrum access’ as well as the immediate transfer of the 800MHz Visafone spectrum to MTN, is one of the things that could fast track Nigeria’s target of achieving 30% broadband penetration by the end of 2018.

“Nigeria’s broadband penetration is presently at 21/22%. We are committed to the national broadband penetration which was why we bought the 2.6 GHz spectrum band and MTN was the only bidder then. We are working hard to expand our networks across Nigeria and the 800MHz gives an advantage of wider coverage using fewer resources. The ultimate beneficiaries are the Nigerian government, and every Nigerian who will benefit from the pervasive roll-out of broadband services and success of the rural telephony project,” he said.

According to Oyewo, MTN’s continuous infrastructural roll-out underscores the company’s unwavering commitment to Nigeria in the long term, and as such other operators too should demonstrate the same commitment arguing that the attendant impact of all operators’ collective investment on GDP given the International Telecommunication Union (ITU)’s findings will lead to a 10% leap in broadband penetration thereby resulting in 1% yield on GDP as well as lower retail prices which is beneficial to all consumers.

”MTN has shown time and again, that we are committed to the Nigerian market. MTN has consistently invested in communications infrastructure, particularly broadband infrastructure in Nigeria. The facts are there for everyone to verify, no other operator has displayed this level of commitment to development of the Nigerian telecoms space including operators whose parent companies rank higher globally in terms of subscriber numbers.”

As the timeline for achieving the broadband target of 30% draws nearer, stakeholders must demonstrate commitment to supporting the Federal Government.

In this regard, MTN, acquisition of Visafone is a step in the right direction at actualizing the target.

In order for the network expansion, and attendant service quality improvement to continue, it argues, the NCC should take a fair decision, in allowing the transfer of the Visafone 800MHz to MTN in the interest of the consumer and the Nigerian economy.

GrassRoots.ng is on a critical mission; to objectively and honestly represent the voice of ‘grassrooters’ in International, Federal, State and Local Government fora; heralding the achievements of political and other leaders and investors alike, without discrimination. This daily, digital news publication platform serves as the leading source of up-to-date information on how people and events reflect on the global community. The pragmatic articles reflect on the life of the community people, covering news/current affairs, business, technology, culture and fashion, entertainment, sports, State, National and International issues that directly impact the locals.

GRTech

Tips to Stay Secure during Black Friday & Cyber Monday

Sophos Special edition

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Sophos Cyber Monday

With Black Friday and Cyber Monday around the corner, we’re entering a high-risk period for cybersecurity.

A recent Sophos report highlights that malicious emails were the second most common root cause of ransomware attacks in critical sectors, responsible for 25% of cases.
During peak shopping days, this threat intensifies.

Here’s what happens: with the surge in online deals, more employees may be shopping from their work computers, feeling that Cyber Monday is a legitimate time to do so.

This increases the risk of them clicking more freely and potentially exposing the organization to malicious links or phishing attacks.
 
To keep your organization safe, encourage your team to follow these simple tips:
• Use an ad blocker – Advertisements are not only tracking your every movement and collecting enough information on your habits to make the FBI blush, but they are also a major source of malicious links and deceptive content on the internet. Not only is your browsing safer, but also faster and uses less bandwidth. Two of our favorites are uBlock Origin and Ghostery.
• Use private browsing or incognito mode – To prevent your shopping habits and interests from following you around from site to site (and potentially revealing what gifts you might be purchasing to others using your device, bonus!), you should enable private browsing (Firefox) or incognito mode (Chrome). This will block tracking cookies and help the internet forget your travels as the waves wash away your footprints in the sand.
• Make your browser “privacy smart” – The Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) provides a browser extension called Privacy Badger designed to automatically make all the right choices around browsing whilst maintaining our privacy and blocking invisible trackers.
• Avoid using one account on multiple services – When logging into an e-commerce site it is often tempting to use the “Sign in with Facebook” or “Sign in with Google” button. While it takes a few more minutes to create a new login, it will provide more privacy as you are not sharing all of the sites you shop at with these tech giants.
• Use guest login when available – In addition to letting you use an account from other websites, many have an option to use a guest login rather than creating a new account. This is a great option if you don’t expect to need technical support or to do business on a recurring basis. Fewer passwords, fewer personal details, fewer problems if they get hacked.
• Don’t save card details – Many e-commerce sites will default to storing your credit card information in your profile for your “convenience” (or their hope you’ll shop there again). They can’t lose what they don’t have, so tell them not to store your credit card unless it is absolutely necessary.
• Use temporary card numbers – Many financial institutions now offer temporary or one-time use credit card numbers. You can open the app on your phone or in your browser and get a single-use disposable credit card number preventing card fraud and tracking when merchants share card processors. Sometimes you’re even able to specify a card limit per temporary number to further protect your account.
• Use credit, not debit – All of us need to be wary of overspending during the holidays, but it is best to leave the debit card at home. Credit cards offer significantly more protection against online fraud, and you are in the power position in a dispute. You can simply not pay your bill while disputing the charge, rather than having criminals directly drain your bank account of your hard-earned cash.
• Beware of direct messages via social media/chat apps – With modern generative AI technology it is almost trivial to create an entire fake online store and lure people to share their personal information and payment data with you. It’s safest to shop at established sites or those personally recommended to you by friends and family. Many unsolicited messages lead to data collection or theft.
• Don’t click deals in email that look too good to be true or are from businesses you don’t have accounts from – these could be phishing emails hoping to bait you into clicking links to bogus, malicious web sites.
 
This season, small steps can make a big difference in protecting against cyber threats.

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GRTech

It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Sophos has Some Tips for You!

In the mood of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Christopher Budd, Director Sophos X-Ops, has compiled some tips for staying secure online.

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Christopher Budd - Sophos
Christopher Budd - Sophos
Sophos Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Sophos Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity Pro Tips:

  • Face Scans and Fingerprints are Safer Than Passcodes: Use features like Face ID or fingerprint scans for your devices as much as possible. These are safer than passcodes and devices have good built-in protections for this sensitive information.
  • Use Multi-Factor Authentication: Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible. This gives an important extra layer of security that makes it harder for cybercriminals to access your accounts. If you can’t use something more secure like secure authenticator applications or physical hardware security keys, use your phone number — it’s safer than using nothing. If you use MFA for only one thing, use it for your email: that’s what attackers want the most.
  • Think Before You Share Publicly: Think twice before sharing any information publicly –cybercriminals can use it to access your accounts or to convince someone that they’re you.
    • Think about those cute surveys on Facebook with questions about your first car, city you were born in: these are the same kinds of info cybercriminals can use to pretend they’re you and log into and take over your accounts.
  • You Don’t Always Need (to keep)  the App: Don’t feel pressured to download an app every time: you can often use the service’s website just as well. Apps collect much more data than websites, including your location, your contact list and other info you might not want to share.If you do download an app, think about deleting it when you’re done using it: you can always reinstall it next time you need it.
  • Apps from app stores and websites that aren’t the official big names ones like Google Play, Apple’s App Store, Samsung’s Galaxy Store can be very risky. The official stores have security and privacy standards that can identify malicious activity. Always stick to official sources for downloading apps or, if they’re not on the official app stores, download the app from the developer’s official website or use the app’s web version.
  • Be On Your Guard for Unexpected Emails and Text Messages: Phishing continues to be one of the most effective tactics cybercriminals use to compromise consumers. If you get an unexpected email or text message, ignore it or at least don’t interact with it (don’t open attachments, don’t click on links). If you think it might be legitimate, reach out directly to who you think sent it and check with them.
  • Question Urgency in Emails and Calls: Cybercriminals use urgency to get you to let your guard down and make bad decisions. If someone contacts you saying they’re from a trusted organization like the IRS, police or your bank and need you to take action quickly or something bad will happen, stop and question it. Go to the trusted source like the number on the back of your credit card to independently validate the request.
  • Practice Good Password Security: Every account should have its own unique complex password. A strong password is at least 12 characters long with a mix of numbers, upper- and lower-case letters, and punctuation characters. Passwords should not be based on any personal information, and the best ones use a phrase rather than single words. If these passwords are too tough to juggle, try a password manager to stay organized.
  • Keep Everything Updated and Run Security Tools. Make sure all your apps and devices are always fully updated. Be sure to have some sort of security software on all of your phones and computers (even if you have a Mac).
  • Get Rid of End-of-Life Devices and Software: Everything from operating systems to services to Wi-Fi routers “go stale” and must be replaced eventually. For example, it might surprise you, but your internet router is typically only supported with patches and updates for a few years after you get it. Attackers love out-of-date devices. When something is “out of support” it’s stale: get rid of it and replace it with something fresh.
  • Back Up Your Data: While ransomware groups are mostly after businesses that can pay higher ransoms, they still go after people at home. It’s still important to have your data backed up so that you don’t have to consider paying a ransom.

Put Your Mind at Ease Regarding These Cybersecurity Concerns

Part of staying secure requires being able to filter out the noise and prioritize the security actions that matter. Here are things notto worry about. Focus your energy on real risks, not exaggerated threats.

  • Public Wi-Fi is Safer Than You Think: Contrary to outdated advice, public Wi-Fi is generally safe due to encryption used by most websites and apps. Use it freely at airports or coffee shops, but avoid sensitive activities.
  • Beware of Fearmongering Around New Tech Features: Not every new technology is as risky as it’s made out to be. For example, Apple’s NameDrop feature is generally safe and requires specific conditions to function. However, if you’re concerned, you can easily turn it off in settings.

Stop Stressing Over Public Chargers: The risk of “juice jacking” (data theft from public chargers) is extremely low. Don’t worry about using public phone chargers — just focus on real, more prevalent threats.

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eSocialMint (eSM)) Wants to Disrupt Virtual Interactions

Reporter: Sandra Ani

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Unveiling of eSocialMint app

eSocialMint Inc., a tech startup based in Houston, is hoping to revolutionize social and professional events with its innovative new app.

Scheduled for launch in Nigeria at the end of the year, eSocialMint (eSM) offers a comprehensive platform that integrates features from popular apps like Facebook, TikTok, Zoom, WhatsApp, and Snapchat.

Designed to transform how events are conducted and experienced, eSM combines social media technology with advanced features such as virtual hologram technology.

Developed by IT architect Fisayo Olamigoke, eSM is available on both web and mobile devices. It offers a range of functionalities, including team events, social events, advertising, an eStore, and the unique “eSprayMe” feature.

This feature allows users to virtually spray money at events, replicating a popular Nigerian cultural practice while adhering to legal regulations.

Targeted at professionals, personal users, public institutions, and governmental bodies, eSM aims to save time and money by reducing the need for physical travel. With its cutting-edge technology and user-friendly interface, eSocialMint is poised to redefine the future of virtual interactions.

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