The Nigerian Communi-cations Commission (NCC) has announced the result of a frequency Spectrum review under which about a dozen Companies lost Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) licences issued them five years ago.
According to a licence audit report unveiled weekend by the Telecoms regulator, FWA licences issued in 2002 were pruned by half, confirming indications that a review of the nation\'s scarce frequency Spectrum was bound to hit that category of Telecoms licences.
Technology Times had exclusively reported on September 9, this year that a sweeping review of the nation\'s frequency allocation was to be conducted by NCC.
NCC licences FWA operators to, \"provide telecommunications Services by means of a fixed communications System over which voice, video or Data or a combination of these may be transmitted and received on demand and whereby end users gain Access to other telecommunications Systems .\"
The licence scope also allows them to, \"install, maintain and use radio Equipment in such a way that it Forms part of a Fixed Wireless Access telecommunications network providing wireless telegraphy connection between end user premises as well as with another telecommunications network.\"
According to the updated list of the nation\'s Telecoms licensees issued by NCC, Out of the 22 FWA licences issued in 2002, only 12 Companies managed to survive the regulator\'s scalpel including XS Broadband Ltd (Formerly UBA Capital & Trust Ltd ); Witel Limited (formerly Startech Connection Ltd ); Rainbownet Ltd and Odua Telecoms Limited , according to Information released on the Commission\'s website.
As at Press time, the fate of Lagos -based North West Communications Ltd which was listed among the New FWA licensees was yet to be confirmed. While the 12 other FWA licensees had their licences renewed July 1, 2007 and billed to expire in June 30, 2012, the entry for the Company showed operative date for its licence as July 1, 2002 and expiry as June 30, 2007.