The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has expressed doubts over a spectrum licence auction for the 2.6 GHz range this year, having sold the licence for the 2.3 GHz range in February.
According to Dr Nwaulume Augustine, director of Spectrum Administration at the NCC, a committee is currently harmonising the handover of the spectrum frequencies that are currently in the custody of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
HumanIPO reported in February Bitflux had won the US$23 million 2.3 GHz spectrum band licence auction, beating national mobile operator Globacom, but the NCC is unsure if a further spectrum licence will be auctioned in 2014.
“The committee is still working. I don’t know if it is possible for the licence to be auctioned this year based on the fact that not so much progress has been made with regard to getting it freed from those users,” Augustine said.
“But I am very sure that by the first or second quarter of next year, something would have happened because it is very important. It is very vital to wireless broadband.”
The commission also threatened to sanction individuals and organisations that install frequency jammers to disrupt communication. Augustine said the NCC monitors jammers and is capable of demobilising them.
“Frequency jammers are like white noise that you generate to disrupt the actual radio communication. They are done deliberately so that you will not be able to initiate or receive calls. That is the intention,” he said.
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