Namibian operator MTC has called for the country’s government to end its ongoing moratorium on the deployment of 5G networks as it lays the foundation for its own fifth generation network.

Local outlet The Namibian reports that MTC is currently in discussions with the government around lifting the moratorium. As reported by TeleGeography, MTC has long maintained that its spectrum allocation does not correspond to its subscriber base, which is the largest in the market. This has resulted in capacity problems which have prevented it from delivering 3G and 4G services in more remote areas. MTC estimates that it will require 100MHz of 3.5GHz spectrum to deploy a 5G network.

MTC spokesperson Tim Ekandjo noted that 5G would be instrumental in Namibia’s fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), saying: “It is important that a conducive policy framework is in place to stimulate participation rather than inhibiting it. We must note that 5G is a fundamental platform for 4IR … 5G combines greater data transfer speeds and heightened processing power to enable IoT connectivity on a massive scale. It would have a significant impact on every aspect of our digital lives – with 5G comes high data rates, reduced latency, energy savings, cost reductions.”

Ekandjo struck out at the government’s rationale behind the 5G moratorium, adding: “Sadly, we still have a moratorium on 5G in Namibia, and it is rather unfortunate that a country that has always been first in rolling out such technologies has now become the last due to conspiracy theories that have never made sense in the first place.”

MTC has signed a cooperation agreement with Chinese vendor Huawei and the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) as it prepares for the advent of 5G in the market.

NUST vice chancellor Erold Naomab said: “We are proud to extend our partnership with MTC to Huawei under the framework of the Smart Campus Initiative. As partners, we are all committed to pooling resources, expertise, and networks to improve competitiveness through trans-disciplinary research, co-creation and co-development, application and transfer of specialised knowledge, and technology aligned with NUST’s signature programme.”

This Industry Viewpoint was authored by Eli Katz, CEO at XConnect

International robocalling impacts the entire telecoms value chain from carriers to consumers. To help prevent robocalls that are initiated from outside the US, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has recently expanded on the existing domestic stir shaken solutions to now include internationally originated calls terminating into the US and US gateway providers must now take … [visit site to read more]

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PLDT has pressed the Philippines’ government to clarify how its proposed Open Access in Data Transmission Act will distinguish between telecom operators and data transmission players.

The proposed act aims to help ISPs enter the local broadband market by removing regulatory hurdles, promoting fair and open competition. The government claims that this will reduce internet prices by driving more cost-effective installation of broadband infrastructure.

However, at PLDT’s annual stockholder’s meeting, corporate secretary and chief legal counsel Marilyn A Victorio-Aquino argued that the act “will open the data transmission industry to data transmission participants who will be allowed to own and operate a network without obtaining a franchise, or a certificate of public convenience, or a provisional authority unlike the telcos.”

Victorio-Aquino further elaborated: “When a data transmission industry player owns and operates a network, it will be allowed to compete for the scarce frequencies which are available to players like us. When that happens, you ask yourselves, so what happens between the business of a data transmission player and the telcos when they can operate and own a network and they can compete [for] our frequency? There’s not much difference.”

“So, why will they be treated differently? Why will they be allowed to operate and conduct business without obtaining a franchise and a certificate of public convenience and necessity? Both requirements are imposed on telcos, which somehow restrict our operations in such a way that these regulators subject us to. So, these are the questions that need to be asked in case this bill is reintroduced in the new Congress,” she concluded.

CommsUpdate reports that the Open Access in Data Transmission Act was first published as House Bill No. 0057 in July 2019, although it was revised to become House Bill 8910 in March 2021. The House of Representatives approved the bill on 28^th July 2021 and it passed to the Senate the following day.

Business World reports that the bill is one of the measures that local business groups and foreign chambers are pushing for the 18^th Congress to pass in its remaining session days. The DICT (Department of Information and Communications Technology) supports the bill on the grounds that it will ensure competition in the former duopoly.

In a statement, DICT said that the bill “mandates interconnection among data transmission participants to avoid dominance by a single player or by a group of data providers. The bill also mandates that there should be at least two providers at any given layer.”

Time management is one of the most important aspects of being a successful salesperson. You need to spend time with prospects closing deals but also need to maximize your time by networking with as many people as you can. Unified communications applications can help you work more efficiently while minimizing your downtime. 

As resellers in the telecommunications industry, you can utilize these tips and share them with your customers. While using the applications, you are not only reaping the benefits yourself but also showcasing them – together, saving time. 😉 

Work On The Go🤳

Keep time loss as low as possible by having your office in your pocket. Mobile unified communication applications help you operate at the same rate as in a traditional office. Plan calls, attend meetings and use the chat function all from your mobile device. 

Close your next deal from your mobile app while in your car connected to Bluetooth. UCaaS offers resellers the mobility to focus 100% of their time on selling and generating revenue. 

Integrate with a CRM🧑‍💻

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is extremely important to integrate with your UC application. While on inbound or outbound calls, a URL will pop up with the contact information. From there, you can take notes, review previous conversations, and build rapport with customers. Utilizing this third-party service is a necessary time-saving integration. You can create a full history of customers to refresh your memory in seconds of being connected.

Real-Time Reports📊

Saving time here and there can quickly add up. Automated reports that update in real-time is a huge time saver! A Call Detail Record (CDR) allows you to manage your representatives (or yourself) to keep track of:

• The number of calls incoming/outgoing 
• Call durations 
• Total talk time 
• Total missed calls
• And more! 

Having this information at your fingertips will allow you to make changes as you see fit. Contact Centers are a great example of an industry that takes advantage of the time-saving benefits UC offers. 

Reduce Distractions🚫

There is no denying hybrid workers today face many distractions. Heck, I was distracted more than a handful of times writing this article! However, the key to managing your time better is reducing distractions and staying focused. UC applications provide a presence panel functionality to let your employees know if you are available or not. Your status will sync between your desktop and mobile application in real-time.

On top of that, you can integrate with third-party services like kuando Busylight! The physical device will sync with your status presence to indicate if you are available or not. This tool is just one of many to help you and your customers eliminate distractions.

Meet Virtually💻

Last but not least, meeting virtually. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us have become experts in video conferencing. Business continued as usual, and companies carried on with their meetings that normally would have been in person. 

Although we can all appreciate the atmosphere of an in-person meeting, it saves you so much commute time when you join virtually. Whether the commute is down the hall to the boardroom or overseas to meet a new partner, video conferencing will save you time. 

Wrapping Up

Above are only a few ways to improve time management with unified communications. When you implement it in your business and personal life, you will discover hundreds of more time-saving features. 

Do you want to learn more about Bicom Systems desktop and mobile unified communications applications? Visit our website or contact our sales team for a one-on-one discussion. 

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