Engineers link poor service to substandard equipment

Engineers in the telecommunication companies have linked the recent poor quality of service in the country to the installation of substandard equipment.

Findings by our correspondent showed that two major national licensed operators were the biggest culprits in the purchase of substandard equipment.

One of the engineers, who spoke to our correspondent, disclosed that those saddled with the responsibility of procuring equipment in these two telecom companies had remained adamant and continued to cut corners.

“The quality of service would further worsen in the coming weeks because the equipment being installed in the base stations and masts locations are a far cry from what is even obtainable in poor and neighbouring African countries,” the engineer, who pleaded not to be named, said.

The source disclosed that the only operator that seemed fair in such practices was one that commenced business in the country within 2008 to 2009.

“The one that keeps changing its name has also been fair, but for the rest of them, it is just a case of cutting corners to maximise profit while the subscribers pay dearly for it,” he added.

Huawei, Ericcson, Alcatel-Lucent, Nokia-Siemens (now Nokia networks) and ZTE are top five global vendors known to supply equipment to telecom firms in the country.

However, a member of the Huawei technical team, simply identified as Kelvin, told our correspondent that the demand of equipment from the telecom companies in the last one year has gone down the scale.

Kelvin, who is Chinese, said, “It is not just from us, but it is happening to Ericsson, Alcatel-Lucent and the rest. May be they are now patronising smaller vendors we don’t know of. I don’t really know.”

When contacted, one of the telcos, Globacom, denied installing substandard equipment.

The company’s Manager, Mobile Data Devices and Partnerships, Mr. Dafe Akerejola, said Glo thrives on quality, “which includes the quality of equipment we use.”

He said, “Before we install equipment, we put them through a robust testing, more rigorous than what the Standard Organisation of Nigeria puts us through.

“With services like our newly introduced Glo RINGA, they will be backed by quality equipment.”

Glo’s Head, Business Support Group, Mr. Yomi Ogunbamowo, said engineers at the company and its technical team have been upgrading the network in the last three months. “With such upgrade, we can’t definitely be using or installing sub-standard equipment,” Ogunbamowo said.

He added, “Across the country we have gone on massive upgrade, which we have just concluded.”

Another telecoms company, MTN, declined commenting on the matter. A text message that was sent to the company’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Ms. Funmilayo Onajide, was not responded to.

It was the same case with Etisalat.