Vmobile Challenges Competitors on Int'l Methodologies
Vmobile Nigeria has challenged all network operators to declare their subscriber numbers based on internationally accepted methodologies, subject to regular independent audits of such subscriber numbers. The network threw this challenge while announcing it peak of 1.5 million subscribers recently.
Alluding to international convention, Vmobile, says that the game should be more on active subscriber, and not just figures. Vmobile claimed that its network has received more in-coming or make more out-going call on his line in the past three months or 90 days. "The Management of Vmobile uses international benchmark to determine its active subscriber base", says Emeka Opara, the network's spokesperson.
Vmobile Nigeria says its 1.5 million subscribers that are very active is an addition of half a million subscribers since the recommencement of sales in June or a 50% growth in subscriber base from 1 million in December 2003.
A combination of consumer incentives, attractive pricing, new product innovations and significant improvements in customer service delivery resulted in the significant growth the company recorded within a short time period.
Meanwhile the company has embarked on extensive network upgrade activities around the country in order to improve the reliability and quality of service. The transmission capacity of the network is currently being expanded and re-engineered to accommodate at least 2 million subscribers by the end of October 2004. The on-going network upgrade exercise, which is being carried out during off-peak hours, is expected to cut over most of the company's radio facilities to the newly completed West to East Transmission Backbone in order to accommodate current and future demands on the network.
The company's Board of Directors at its last meeting held in Lagos Wednesday, September 8, 2004, approved a major radio network expansion agreement with Huawe Technologies, a Chinese firm, for the deployment of 500 radio base stations across the country. A contract with Motorola, another leading telecoms equipment manufacturer, for support services to the radio network throughout the country, was also approved. Other projects approved by the Board are a new contract with Ericsson for the expansion of the company�s network capacity to accommodate 4 million subscribers by the first quarter of 2005. The Board also approved a contract with Dimension Data of South Africa to build state-of-the-art multi-site Call Centres. "All these initiatives underscore Vmobile�s commitment to build a stable and robust network, which will meet world class standards and ultimately meet subscribers� expectations in coverage and customer service quality", says a statement from the network.
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