Serminar Paper Presented to NIEEE.

1. The Challenges of Co-location
Technology in
Nigeria.

2. Being A Technical Paper Delivered
By
SPENCER DAFE ITIVE, MNSE,MNIEEE, B.Eng(Hon.) Uniben, MCP, PMP
AT
THE MONTHLY MEETING OF THE
NIGERIAN INSTITUTION OF ELECTRICAL ELECTRONICS ENGINEERS,
NIEEE, WARRI CHAPTER.
AT 31 AIRPORT ROAD WARRI, Delta State.
ON THE
3RD SEPTEMBER, 2014.

3. ABSTRACT
The introduction of co-location technology as a way of mitigating at
least the challenges of deploying telecoms services in Nigeria is yet to
yield fully the expected desired results.
This is because Telecoms Operators instead of leveraging infrastructures
sharing in its full potential, have continually undermined the benefits
accrued from it.
This has left deployment of GSM services huge challenges which this
paper will critically term to examine.

4. INTRODUCTION
Nigerians embraced the Global System for mobile communications
(GSM) when it was introduced far back 2001. This was because the
citizens have been starved of mobile communication and often thought it
was alien to them for years.
As they basked in this euphoria, the number of subscribers began to
increase but without a commensurate significant increase in
infrastructures rollout to withstand this growth level of subscribers.
Telecoms operators however, blamed the situation on government’s
negligence in building infrastructures for network rollout. This, the
operators complained has left them investing their hard earned profit in
infrastructures rollout such as building and installing base stations and
general operations of these sites.
However, the advent of colocation technology brought massive
transformation in this sector as well as provided respite for telecoms

5. operators. Here, telecoms services providers routinely enter into
agreements with one another to share networks and other assets. These
arrangements facilitates interconnection between network; satisfy
mandated asset sharing required by law or regulatory authority in order
to promote competition; and help carriers maximize their use of assets,
manage risk and build business cases with improved returns on
investment.

6. WHAT IS COLOCATION TECHNOLOGY
?
Colocation technology is a system that allows telecoms operators to
share some type of physical space with other operator(s) , often
competing operators. Colocation services provide significant technical
and cost advantage in managing telecoms business. The bulk of
colocation services entails collaborating to share either the active
elements (the physical network) or the passive elements of their base
station, which include the physical tower structure, security and diesel-
powered generating sets, amongst others.
Colocation, which is a “cost reduction model”, is the provision of space
for a customer’s telecommunications equipment on the service
provider’s premises. Basically, there are two options of colocation
technology for telecoms operators:
 Third party service provider, provides a site and facilities, for
instance, a tower for one or more operators to mount their
equipments like radios and antennas.

7.  Operator to operator agreements, where an operator offers one or
more operators a space in his location / premises to share some
infrastructure .
The cost of sharing facilities and colocating is reasonable
compared to the cost of building one’s own infrastructure, hence a
faster return on investment and an opportunity to focus more on
core business of the companies which is providing quality telecom
services.
CO- LOCATION COMPANIES

8. The following are the list of co-location independent service providers in
Nigeria:
 Helios Towers Nigeria limited, HTN;
 IHS;
 Basnik Telecoms;
 Swap Technologies Limited;
 Capcom.
CO-LOCATION CHALLENGES
 High operational costs in the Nigeria Environment due to poor
availability of power. Poor grid availability makes investments in
transformers and grid connection non-economical.
 Lack of good quality diesel.
 Lack of timely delivery of diesel to site due to activities of
miscreants on sites.
 Lack of proper operational template for sites.
 Security.
 Lack of adequate implementation of the regulation and legislation
by the governing body.
 Lack of patronage by some operators.
 Multiple taxation fees and levies, prohibitive charges to procure
right of way.

9.  Activities of Host communities.
 High CAPEX.
 Vandalization.
 Fear of sabotage from perceived competitors.
SHARED INFRASTRUCTURES
 Generating sets.
 Transformers (PHCN).
 Shelter space.
 Security personnels.
 Security/guard hut.
 Air conditioners (in case of indoor).
 Rectifiers.
 Towers /mast structures.
 Rack space.
 Shelter/equipment plinth.
 D.C source.
 Transmission link - cables, fibres , etc
 Earthing protection system.
 Access road.
 Site space.
 Gantries.

10.  Network operating centre, NOC.
 Maintenance personnels.
 Telemetry .
 Power Interface Unit, PIU.
BENEFITS OF COLOCATION

11.  Telecoms operators can achieve up to 60 percent OPEX and
CAPEX reduction as co-location services are efficient.
 Reduces proliferation of masts.
 It enhances service quality.
 Reduces noise and air pollution round sites/environment.
 Reduces business risks.
 It enhances healthy competition amongst telecoms operators
leading to reduction in call tariffs.
 Increased entry speed for new telecoms service providers.
 It enhances customer satisfaction.
 It improves the economy.
CONCLUSION

12. The opportunity has now come for telecoms service providers to stop the
blame game and unnecessary battle for superiority and supremacy , and
embrace fully the co-location technology. These arrangements facilitate
interconnection of networks, satisfy mandated asset sharing required by
law or regulatory authority in order to promote healthy competition and
improve service quality , and help them maximize their use of assets,
manage risk and build business cases with improved returns on
investment.
REFERENCES

13. 1. Dr. Eugene Juwah , (2011) “Telecommunications business in
Nigeria: How Far ?”
2. Alenoghena C.o and Emagbetere J.o, (1cept 2012)," The Base
Transceiver station (BTS) Placement : Issues and optimality.”
3. Valentine Anozia, MNSE, (Sept. 2007), “ Colocation , the way to
go in Nigeria Telecoms.”
4. Spencer Dafe Itive (2004) ,“ GSM Problems- technical, Social and
Financial”. Unpublished First Degree dissertation presented to the
University of Benin, Benin City.
5. Nicholas Economides, “ Telecommunication regulation: An
Introduction.”
6. www.businesslist.com.ng/companies/colocation.
7. Spencer Dafe Itive (2012), "Installation and Maintenance of ECM
1500 Out door Rectifier", A project submitted to the Nigerian
Society of Engineers, NSE, in partial fulfilment of the requirement
for Admission into the society.
8. Helios Towers Nigeria Limited, Process and Quality Manuals.

14. THANKS FOR LISTENING !
GOD BLESS YOU.