Amongst 14 leading Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Nigeria, fresh statistics from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has shown that Spectranet and Smile Communications are controlling the market with a combined total subscriber base of 350,135.
Nevertheless, Spectranet 4G LTE has introduced a new promotional offer tagged full speed unlimited gold plan into its range of data plans for subscribers to enjoy.
The new product is expected to extend the company’s lead in ISP services provision as the
Chief Executive Officer, David Venn said the introduction of the unlimited plan is aimed at meeting the ever growing demand by subscribers for more data to consume as they continue to experience the great service of Spectranet. According to him, “The unlimited data plan, according to him, at a price of N18,000 for a one-month subscription provides users with unlimited upload and download without worries or fear of poor connection”.
In no particular order, other popular ISPs include Internet Solutions, Vodacom, Spectranet, ipNX, VDT, Smile Communications, Cobranet, Layer 3, NetAccess Communications Nigeria, e-Stream, Zinox, Coscharis Tech, Atlantic Geodynamics, MainOne Cables and Content Oasis with just one subscriber
ISPs are that companies that provide services for accessing and using the Internet. ISPs may be organised in various forms, such as commercial, community-owned, non-profit, or otherwise privately owned.
The service providers, by the provision of the Nigerian Communications Act, (NCA 2003) are licensed for a period of five years before they are renewed in Nigeria.
Whereas Spectranet is cruising on a leading subscribers base of 193, 892, Smile Communication is following closely with156,243 customers.
Additional figures also obtained from NCC show that there are about 37 ISPs delivering services with 927 Point of Presence (PoP) across the country, with Spectranet and Cobranet leading with 555 and 60 PoPs respectively.
Experts say PoP is an artificial demarcation point or interface point between communicating entities. A PoP typically houses servers, routers, network switches, multiplexers, and other network interface equipment. It is typically located in a data center. ISPs typically have multiple PoPs. PoPs are often located at Internet exchange points and co-location centres.
Business Hilights gathered that since inception, NCC has issued operating licenses to about 200 ISPs to provide Internet services in the country however, many of them had shut down because of various economic and policy challenges, just others have continued to grow with different survival strategies.
But analysts are upbeat that the licensees, who are operating in select regions and cities of their choices, are driving mainly corporate Internet services and some individuals and governments off takers.
Additional data released by the regulator show that a total of 37 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country provide services for 390, 794 subscribers. But the calculation does not include majority who are riding on the services of Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) including Globacom, MTN, Airtel and Etisalat, which also provide Internet services.
Whereas the ISPs care for 390,794 subscribers, the MNOs provide Internet services to over 93 million users based on their Universal Access Service Licence (UASL) which enables them to service their customers via the narrowband and lately broadband.
Besides, out of the 390, 794 ISPs’ customers, only about 286,046 subscribers are currently active and serviced through fibre connectivity (broadband).
