By Bose Adelaja
CITIZENS COMPASS–The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) yesterday, in Lagos State, said it has concluded plans to introduce 6GHz band for Wi-Fi -6 applications for high-speed Internet.
NCC said this is in its bid to support the increasing demand for high-speed Internet and advanced applications in the digital ecosystem.
Dr. Aminu Maida, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (EVC/CEO) of NCC, disclosed this while speaking on the efficient management and utilisation of spectrum resources at a consultative engagement forum on emerging technologies.
The EVC/CEO of NCC at the forum tagged, “The Use of 6GHz (5925-7125) MHz for Wi-Fi and IMT Applications in Nigeria”, said the plans would, “accomplish our objectives in driving our strategic goals, the Commission identified some key factors, which include people, collaboration data, compliance, and Digitalization.”
He said, “It is my pleasure to welcome you to this historic event where Nigeria is set to join the league of countries already utilizing part of the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi -6 applications.
“I am particularly glad to be associated with this process because when the Government of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, brought us on board in the year 2023, we took a decision to reposition the Commission on a path that will ensure the uptake of opportunities through our strategic focus areas which is driven by the recognition that each of our stakeholders whether it is our Licensees & Industry operators, Consumers or Government maintains unique perspective and have certain expectations of as the Commission.
“Therefore, to accomplish our objectives in driving our strategic goals, the Commission identified some key factors, which include people, collaboration data, compliance, and Digitalization.
“Guided by our actions in the right direction and, that of the Federal Government through the Ministers Strategic Blueprint cantered around knowledge policies, infrastructure, innovation, entrepreneurship and Capital as well Trade, we have been able to set the ball rolling to enhance telecommunication service delivery in Nigeria.
“In line with global best practices, we sincerely believe that our actions must be guided by decisions that take into cognizance the inputs from all stakeholders in the industry. The 6GHz band, spanning from 5925 MHz to 7125 MHz, offers a substantial increase in available spectrum, which is crucial for supporting the growing demand for high-speed internet and advanced applications. Wi-Fi plays a crucial role in the distribution of fixed broadband connectivity in homes, offices, and various other environments.
“The vast majority of home internet traffic is connected to the end-user through Wi-Fi. In enterprise settings, Wi-Fi is essential for handling large amounts of data and simultaneously connecting large numbers of devices with improved reliability, higher data throughput, and lower latencies. However, the 5GHz and 2.4GHz that are being used for Wi-Fi (Wi-Fi 5) at the moment are becoming overwhelmed due to an increase in demand for capacity. It is, therefore, imperative to identify other frequency bands to complement the 5GHz and 2.4GHz.
“The recently concluded 2023 World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC-23) allocated the 6GHz band for Wi-Fi and IMT applications with different recommendations on how to use the band. This was the outcome of a long study cycle process leading to the decision at the WRC-2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.”
