The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has called for collaboration between the government, telecommunications operators and construction companies to mitigate the challenges of fibre cable cuts.

ATCON president Tony Emoekpere made the call at the inaugural edition of the ATCON Critical Conversation Breakfast Meeting in Lagos.

The inaugural edition was “The Direct And Indirect Cause and Impact of Metro, Terrestrial And Submarine Fibre Disruptions (cuts): Short, Medium and Long-term Sustainable Resolution.’’

Mr Emoekpere said collaboration between telecom operators, government developers, and construction companies would also settle the issue of who will compensate for fibre cable cuts.

The ATCON president called for training and awareness on the importance of fibre cables, the danger and negative impact of fibre cable cuts and for telecoms assets to be declared Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

Mr Emoekpere said: “Telecom stakeholders cannot continue to pay lip service to issues and challenges that have constituted stumbling blocks to the sector’s growth, especially fibre cuts.

“This meeting aims to enable stakeholders to examine the issues surrounding metro, terrestrial, and submarine fibre disruptions, which have become recurring decimals in the Nigerian Telecom industry.

“The stakeholders are the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA).”

He recalled a reported case of a submarine cut that significantly impacted Nigeria and other countries some months ago.

“The incidences of metro, terrestrial and submarine fibre disruptions (cuts) have become a recurring decimal which relevant agencies must address at all levels of government,” the ATCON president said.

He advocated for a pool of lawyers to sue all construction companies for damages to the fibre network.

Mr Emoekpere stressed that the NCC should implement the provisions of the Nigeria National Broadband Plan (NBP) for 2020 – 2025.

The president noted that the NBP stated that the NCC should have a desk officer in each state to be in charge of the fibre network to minimise cuts during road construction.

“In all ramifications, fibre disruptions have constituted a threat to the manifestation of the industry’s inherent potentials,” he said.

He appreciated Bosun Tijani, the Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, for approving the 96,000km fibre metro line to improve internet connectivity in Nigeria.

(NAN)