Advancement in technologies has made it mandatory for mobile operators to build networks that can deliver high speed voice, data and video services which can be rolled out in less time than previous telecommunications technologies.

Yesterday's network is now regarded as today's legacy system.

For Nigerian mobile operators and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the race is against time to meet up with the rest of their counterparts for world-class telecom service offerings. At the weekend, the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) Secretary-General, Dr Hamadoun Touré, challenged them to move quickly to deploy IMT-Advanced-compliant mobile broadband networks.

Last month, ITU endorsed LTE-Advanced and WirelessMAN-Advanced, two technologies that will form the basis of IMT-Advanced next generation high-speed cellular broadband. They are capable of supporting speeds of 1 Gbit/s while stationary and 100 Mbit/s while in motion.

If we are to translate the 'mobile miracle' of the past decade to wireless broadband, Nigerian operators need to take full advantage of the faster speeds IMT-Advanced will bring, ushering in the next exciting wave of innovation through new applications and services. Dr. Toure said "Operators who move fast to deploy IMT-Advanced technologies, and who price their services competitively, will reap the full benefit of the next wave of explosive growth."

Consumers today expect to be connected to the Internet, to their social networks and to their data anywhere, anytime. "As we enter the era of true mobile broadband, it is in everyone's interest that people are able to use their mobile devices intuitively and spontaneously, taking advantage of premium high-speed services like live video streaming and new apps we haven't yet dreamt of," said Dr Touré.

The deployments of IMT-Advanced technologies require a clear regulatory pathway which needs to be addressed by the NCC. The telecom regulator has to licence the 2.6GHz and the Digital Dividend spectrum which are very good in spreading mobile broadband in urban areas and rural areas respectively.

Mr. Brett Goschen, CEO, MTN Nigeria, said "Timely and efficient allocation of spectrum will enable us to continue to meet the needs of our customers and ensure the delivery of next generation Mobile Broadband services and products. Time is of the essence and we are committed to working with policy makers and regulators to make the global vision of Mobile Broadband a reality

The NCC and Nigerian telecom operators need the right frameworks to nurture the broadband revolution that will define the telecom revolution. As the Internet is now dependent on the ICT networks such as fibre, cable, mobile and satellite, any gap in infrastructure will cripple the network as data volumes continue to increase at astronomical rates.