Communications
Telecommunication infrastructure remains one of the major issues affecting technology deployment required for growth and development in Nigeria. There has however been massive improvement in infrastructure over the past few years. Nigeria has certainly left the telecomm state where there were only a few dial-up e-mail providers and Internet service providers (ISPs) and when Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL) was the only Telecommunications operator. The telecoms boom has resulted in greater usage of Internet Technology, growth and availability of cyber cafés, increased Internet provision by ISPs and PTOs, increased communications services (mobile telephony, e-mail, VOIP), reduction of Internet costs, online information gathering and research, e-learning, Internet business opportunities, online advertising opportunities as well as developments in e-banking.
The forerunner of NASA's Deep Space Network was established in January 1958, when JPL, then under contract to the U.S. Army, deployed portable radio tracking stations in Nigeria, Singapore, and California to receive telemetry and plot the orbit of the Army-launched Explorer 1, the first successful U.S. satellite. NASA was officially established on October 1, 1958, to consolidate the separately developing space-exploration programs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force into one civilian organization.
Because the Mercury orbital flight program required effective ground control during the unmanned and manned phases, a worldwide tracking and telemetry network was developed. Early in the project, the requirements for the network in terms of systems, installation, site locations, testing, and training for network personnel were established. Throughout the Mercury-Atlas orbital flight program, the Mercury Worldwide Network provided adequate and timely support in each of its charged responsibilities. The network was expanded to include the switching, conferencing, and monitoring (SCAMA) voice capability to Canary Island, Kano, Zanzibar, Canton Island, the Rose Knot Victor, and the Coastal Sentry Quebec. The tight schedule made it impossible to stagger construction at the various stations. Although first construction operations were not started until April 29, 1960, all stations were under construction by midsummer, and construction was completed at the last station in Kano, Nigeria, in March of 1961. Kano [call signal KNO] was in northern Nigeria, about 845 km (525 mi) from the major seaport, Lagos, on the Gulf of Guinea. Most buildings were constructed of prefabricated galvanized sheet metal supported by rigid steel frames. In addition to the buildings housing electronic equipment, most stations contained power buildings, cooling towers, air handlers, water chillers, and hydropneumatic tanks. Diesel generators were installed to produce power to back up commercial power.
In August 1963, USNS Kingsport, the world's first satellite communications ship, relayed the initial live broadcast of a telephone conversation between Prime Minister Balawa in Nigeria and President John F. Kennedy in Washington via Synacom -- one of the first synchronous satellites launched.
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the NIH is carrying out a plan to enhance electronic communication facilities at major research sites in Africa, including the provision of informatics training. A VSAT (very small aperture terminal) system was selected for those sites where no other means was possible to connect them to the internet. Red Wing Satellite solutions in London provides the equipment, hub and connection to the internet via satellite. Proposed future installation sites include; the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR)/KEMRI in Nairobi, also sites in Cameroon, Nigeria, Malawi, Uganda, Burkina Faso if sufficient funding can be obtained.
Nigeria's television market, once reserved for official channels, was deregulated in 1995, resulting in the formation of eight private stations, and more than 20 satellite redistribution companies. Similarly, radio stations have expanded from wholly government-owned stations to include three private stations in the Lagos area. Many stations utilize large satellite dishes and decoders to pull in transmissions for rebroadcast, providing unfair competition for legitimate public and private television stations.
Digital Satellite Radio (DSR) is one of the new and exciting broadcast technologies which relies upon geo-synchronous satellites to send a one-way digital signal. The broadcast carries hundreds of music, talk, and data channels. RANET uses one of the data channels to help send content useful to rural populations and the National Hydro-Meteorological Services and related national entities. The channel RANET uses is shared by a variety of content providers who covering issues such as agriculture, health, technology, and education. Broadcast capacity over Africa is provided to RANET through a partnership with the WorldSpace Foundation.
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