The Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria has called on the industry regulator to foster collaboration between Mobile Network Operators and Mobile Virtual Network Operators.

ATCON president Tony Emoekpere stated in an interview on Monday that the regulator’s intervention would ensure a smooth working relationship among all parties.

In Nigeria, MNOs like MTN, Glo, and Airtel own and operate the infrastructure for mobile networks, while MVNOs lease this infrastructure to offer their own branded services.

MVNOs do not own their own network infrastructure but instead leverage the existing infrastructure of MNOs to provide services such as voice, SMS, and data to their customers.

This model allows for increased competition and potentially lower costs for consumers.

Mr Emoekpere said the partnership between MNOs and MVNOs aimed to achieve the common goal of increased connectivity, even in underserved communities. According to him, the partnership model between MNOs and MVNOs is expected to deepen telecommunications penetration in underserved regions across Nigeria.

‘’The new class of MVNO licenses issued by the Nigerian Communications Commission is designed to bridge existing service gaps. ’The collaboration will allow MVNOs to reach areas where MNOs may not have the capacity or willingness to invest in infrastructure.

‘’The partnership aims to leverage existing MNO infrastructure to extend telecom services, with MVNOs providing a variety of services to a wider range of customers,’’ he said.

Mr Emoekpere said that, despite the obvious benefits of partnership between MNOs and MVNOs, there were complaints of challenges between the two groups, particularly regarding pricing and infrastructure sharing.

The ATCON boss, however, stated that such issues are normal with the introduction of a new licensing class.

“It’s a new class of license that is issued. What will happen is that the regulator will need to step in to address any challenges between both parties because it’s a license issued by the regulator, and the aim is to deepen penetration,” he said.

The NCC initiated the licensing process for MVNOs in 2022, with the first batch of licenses being awarded on April 1, 2023. NCC initially licensed 25 companies, followed by a second batch of licenses granted to 43 additional companies.

The aim is to increase competition, close connectivity gaps in underserved areas, and promote innovation, among others.

(NAN)