MTS FirstWireless as the name rightly connotes, is the first telephone company that was licensed to offer wireless service in the country. It began the process of initiating Nigeria into the wireless world in 1992 when the government issued it with a license to commence the provision of national cellular service in the country. It was then a joint venture between the government-owned NITEL and Digital Communications Ltd. of Atlanta Georgia, USA. But a disagreement between the two joint venture partners led to the abortion of this dream.
The issue was eventually resolved with a favourable settlement brokered by the Nigeria Communications Commission which gave multiple licenses to MTS First Wireless in 2002 as National Wireless Operator, National long Distance Communications carrier, International data Gateway Operator, and Internet Service Provider.
Since MTS First Wireless commenced commercial service in August 2004, it has attracted a lot of interest in the Nigerian market given its customer friendly tariff and its unique services. Its portable phones are a source of interest to subscribers who have complained bitterly about the high tariff in the country. Reuben Muoka, spokesman for the company says its tariff is in line with the company’s philosophy of bringing telephone services to the reach of a majority of Nigerians.
That philosophy has turned out to be very popular amongst Nigerians who have on several occasions have to commend MTS for its vision.
Speaking at the launch of MTS First Wireless services in August, minister for communications, Cornelius Adebayo, poured encomiums on the phone company, saying that it was only an act of courage that could bring the company up from a virtual dead situation.
Dr Adebayo also praised the company for the faith it has invested in the Nigerian economy after the very traumatic experience it went through.
According to him: “We are happy with the confidence MTS has demonstrated in the country by investing in the economy in spite of the losses suffered”
He therefore explained that the availability of telecommunications facilities was a vital part of NEEDS which is a comprehensive package for the present administration to improve the living conditions of the Nigerian people.
Consumer advocacy group, Telecommunications Services Consumers Organization of Nigeria, TESCON, has also poured encomiums on MTS for being the most affordable and most friendly telecommunications company.
In a congratulatory message to the CEO of the company, the group asserted: “In deed, your roll-out packages seem to back up your declaration as they contain a basket of attractive features and incentives which have instantly shot your network to the top of the list of subscriber-friendly networks in Nigeria. In the message singed by its President, Mr. John St. Claret Ezeani, a telecoms legal practitioner, the organization made particular reference to the free monthly access charges given to subscribers on the First Wireless network.
“We acknowledge and appreciate your elimination of monthly access charges and we hope that other networks will borrow a leaf from you”, it said. According to him, TESCON “acknowledges and appreciates that you are re-entering the market with the lowest tariff regime charged by any fixed wireless operator in Nigeria”, the organization noted while urging that this bonus is sustained beyond the roll out phase.
As part of its resolve to compensate its old subscribers in line with its customer friendly posture, MTS First Wireless rewarded its old subscribers who waited patiently until its re-launch by migrating them into its new Code Divisional Multiple Access{ CDMA 2000}digital platform free of charge.
MTS First Wireless adopted a technology integration approach to its service delivery, making it possible to deliver different services to different markets using one integrated network of solutions. Its technology is based on the CDMA20001X platform which is capable of both fixed and portable toll-quality voice telephony, and high speed data (144kbps), non dial-up Internet Access and other value-added services like voice mail Fax, call conferencing and SMS amongst others.
The technology ensures that all of MTS netwoks of Wireless Telephony, Long Distance Carrier, International Data Access and Internet Services provider operate seamlessly at optimum.
To make this a reality, MTS is already working with technology leaders in this sector like China Putian Corporation of China and Eastcom. The company has deployed more than 300,000 wireless voice and data phone lines using CDMA 2000 1X wireless technology with plans to achieve 1.5 million in 33 months time.
In the Internet market, the company also plans to make a difference with some unique services which would make internet access cheaper and easier.
Richmond Aggrey, CEO of the company says the company decided to do this because it appreciated the patience of Nigerians during the checkered history of the company. He explained that subscribers to the network require a token N7,000 to have twenty-four hours internet access throughout the month, stressing that provisions have also been made for small home users who need 30 or more minutes access at a time to buy small unit recharge cards for the service for as small as maybe N500.
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