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M-Tel targets business centre operators with low-cost analogue phones
Everest Amaefule, Abuja
Airtime resellers, otherwise known as business centre operators, in the country, may soon be the new centre of competition in the mobile telecommunication sector as the Nigerian Mobile Telecommunications Limited perfect ways to enter the turf which has given MTN Nigeria Communications Limited a leverage in the industry.
Our correspondent learnt that the strategy of the company to court the operators who are known to originate large volume of calls, is the rehabilitation of its analogue network, otherwise known as Enhanced Total Access Communications System.
Sources at the company confirmed that plans are underway to re-launch the analogue network by the middle of July.
However, the company is battling to overcome the problem of obsolescence of analogue mobile handsets, which has hit the industry following the shift of attention of industry manufacturers from analogue to digital technology.
It is not yet clear how the company wants to solve this problem of terminals. Our correspondent, however, learnt that apart from seeking ways of revitalising the supply of relevant handsets in the market, the company is also seeking to integrate the use of table phones on the mobile network.
The calculation of the company is that business centre operators would find it more convenient to deploy table phones for their services.
The company reckons that the cheaper rate, which the analogue network would offer will recommend it above other options. MTN offers booster cards, which halves the rates for business centre operators and other high volume users.
In preparation for the re-launch of the network, the company recently appointed four consultants in four different parts of the country where the company, has service centres to assist old subscribers to activate their lines.
The consultants, Abdul Kadeer Peters & Company, Laide Egbedina & Company, Dare Omosebi & Company and Prentas Techno & Company are located in Lagos, Ibadan, Enugu, Port Harcourt and Benin service centres. The other locations are Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, Jos, Bauchi and Maiduguri.
It was learnt that with the installation of a prepaid platform purchased from Boston Communications Group Inc, the mobile company would offer prepaid services on the analogue network in the new dispensation.
The advent of digital mobile services in the country about three years ago had threatened the survival of the old analogue mobile services of the company. But convinced that a market still exist for the old service popularly known as 0-9-0, the new Dutch management contractors embarked upon a total rehabilitation of the network.
The Punch, Friday, 25th June, 2004.
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