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Faulty BTS: NCC fines IHS N10m

. orders integrity test on old BTS nationwide

Base Transceiver Station BTS

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has sanctioned telecoms network infrastructure company, IHS, the sum of N10 million for failing to repair its faulty masts, also known as Base Transceiver Station (BTS).

The telecoms regulator disclosed this in its Q3 2021 enforcement report just released. “On 22nd September 2021 IHS was sanctioned the sum of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000.00) only for failing to carry out remedial works on three (3) Base Transceiver Station Sites in Lagos State despite several months of grace,” the Commission stated in the report.

Worried by the spate of telecoms mast collapse in the country, the Commission said it has directed all collocation and infrastructure services providers in the country to carry out integrity tests on masts and towers that have been in existence for ten (10) years or more and attest to the integrity of each site by endorsing a “Declaration of Conformity Form.” The regulator said this directive became imperative as reported cases of collapsed masts and towers have been on the increase.

While noting that there has been some level of compliance among the licensees, the Commission declared that “all owners of telecommunication masts/towers should take full responsibility for the maintenance of all masts/towers in their portfolio to forestall future collapse.”

Earlier this year, two men working on an old NITEL mast were killed as the facility collapsed. According to reports, five other people were also injured in the incident that happened in Benue State in January.

Although the country is yet to have enough base stations to cover all geographical areas for quality services delivery, most of the existing facilities are older than ten years, thus requiring constant maintenance by the operators.

Meanwhile, industry analysts had declared that Nigeria would need at least, 80 thousand BTS to join the club of countries working toward making the Internet of Things (IoT) a reality by leveraging 4G and 5G networks. According to statistics by the NCC, BTS deployment had risen from 34,033 in 2019 to 36,998 in 2020.

This figure showed a deficit of 43,003 from the 80,000 BTS required for effective coverage of the country’s huge landmass.

The Executive Vice Chairman of the NCC, Prof Umar Danbatta, had at a recent forum urged other approving agencies at all levels of government to partner with the NCC to bridge the digital divide, noting that the United Kingdom (UK), with a population of 60 million and about 250 land square meters already has close to 60,000 BTS.

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