Outgoing GSM traffic hits 32.2bn –Report

The total number of outgoing traffic or phone calls on the networks of Global System for Mobile Communications GSM) operators, between January 2014 and December 2014, was 32.2 billion, according to a new report by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). The report released by the Policy Competition and Economic Analysis Department of the Commission and obtained by New Telegraph this week, also showed that total incoming calls received by the telecoms network were 32.6 billion.

Titled: ‘2014 Year End Subscriber/ Network Data Report for Telecommunications Operating Companies in Nigeria,’ showed that MTN, the largest telecoms network in the country, reported the highest outgoing traffic of over 10.07 billion and the highest incoming traffic of 15.69 billion for the period under review. Globacom came second on the chart with 7.6 billion outgoing phone calls on its network and 5.06 billion incoming phone calls. Airtel was third with 7.04 billion outgoing phone calls with 6.9 billion incoming traffic while Etisalat came fourth with 7.4 billion outgoing calls with 4.9 billion outgoing phone calls. According to the report, total outgoing traffic for the mobile Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) operators and fixed telephone operators as at December 2014 was 2.18 billion while total incoming was 1.81 billion. Also, MTN Fixed network reported the highest outgoing traffic of 1.39 billion and the highest incoming traffic of 1.47 billion for the period under review.

The report further disclosed that as at December 2014, the total outgoing mobile to international traffic was 1.64 billion while total incoming mobile to international traffic was 2.77 billion. MTN reported the highest outgoing traffic of 891 million and the highest incoming traffic of 1.94 billion for the period under review. In terms of Base Transceiver Stations (BTS) sites by GSM operators, the report says as at December, last year, MTN, GLO, Airtel and Etisalat had 12,557; 6,677; 6,186 and 4,756 base stations. Consequently, GSM operators owned a total of 30,176 base stations which is an increase from 28,289 base stations recorded by the four major mobile operators in December, 2013, thereby indicating an increase of 6.6 per cent.

On fibre optics deployment in kilometers, the report says that as at December 2014, the telecoms operating companies (GSM, CDMA and fixed telephony operators) had deployed a combined total of 80,938km of fibre optics. A further analysis of the fibre optics data showed that, of the 80,938km deployed as at December 2014, 64,433 km was on‐land while 16,506 km was submarine. MTN had the largest onland with 19,200 km, GLo had on land of 10,869km and submarine of 9,800km, Airtel had deployed 6,314 km, EMTS had 4300km while Multilinks, Visafone, MTN FXD, 21STCentury and ipNX had deployed 5,789km,43km, 12,518km, 5000km and 400km of on land fibre optics respectively. Fibre optics for other category of operators; Interconnect Clearing House Nigeria Limited had a total of 18.7km which was an increase from 7.5km reported in 2013.