Bitflux Begins Commercial Rollout of 2.3GHz Services

Emma Okonji

Bitflux has announced its intention to roll out commercial services on the 2.3GHz spectrum frequency on a wholesale basis.

The company, which was awarded the Wholesale Wireless Access Service License (“WWASL”) on the 2.3GHz spectrum licence in February 2014 by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), said it would offer the wholesale wireless broadband Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology service to its prospective partners especially major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), major Internet Carriers (IC), Internet Service Providers (ISP), and Bandwidth Aggregators.

The concept of Wholesale Wireless Access License was adopted by the NCC as a long term sustainable solution to the availability of broadband services and a key component toward achieving the Nigerian National Broadband Strategy.

Managing Director of VDT Communications, who oversees Bitflux operations, Mr. Biodun Omoniyi, said the service would be provided using Bitflux’s 30MHz of the 2.3GHz spectrum on its LTE advance platform.
“Our services are now available nationwide and the immediate focus is to put to rest the unnecessary use of unlicensed spectrum to deliver last mile access services. Our wholesale wireless broadband LTE service is designed for retail partners such as 4G LTE Broadband Service providers, Enterprise Connect Partners, Bulk Corporate LTE customers, Wi-fi Bundle customers and Licensed frequency last mile service providers,” Omoniyi said in a statement.

“The licence empowers Bitflux to construct, maintain, operate and use a network consisting of a Mobile Communication System, a Fixed Wireless Access Telecommunications System, or a combination of any of these systems deployed for the purpose of providing point to point or switched/unswitched point to multipoint communications for the conveyance of voice, data, video or any kind of message.

“Given the unique and novel nature of the wholesale license in Nigeria, and our desire to provide user experience that is unique to our environment, we engaged the services of KPMG locally, and two international Telecoms Consulting firms (India-based Fairwave Convergence International Pvt Ltd, and Dubai-based QTM International Ltd) with specialisation in the subject to undertake assignments market review and appraisal to determine need and the suitability of WWAS as a solution to the broadband penetration problem; design strategy for market segmentation and penetration; design product offerings and service packages for identified market segments; and set service standard benchmarks,” Omoniyi said.

He added that Bitflux would be offering the Last Mile Wholesale Access (LMWA), and Retail Access Network.