NCC seeks stakeholders’ input into commercial 5G use

NBC warns TV channels against obscene musical videos

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has called for the views of industry stakeholders in the formulation of policy that would lead to 5G deployment in the country.

In a public notice yesterday signed by the Director, Public Affairs, Dr. Henry Nkemadu, the commission expressed belief that the deployment of 5G would promote the national digital economy for a digital Nigeria that would improve the way citizens live and work.

According to NCC, 5G has been deployed commercially in some countries, and as with the previous technologies, the International Commission for Non-ionising Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) has classified radiation from 5G as non-ionising and therefore safe for human beings.

NCC is mandated by Section 4(q) of the Nigerian Communications Act (2003) to prepare and implement programmes and plans that promote and ensure the development of communication services in Nigeria.

It listed the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, Office of the National Security Adviser, the National Assembly, Ministry of Health, National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, and consumer advocacy groups as those it intended to involve in the consultative inquiry.

The commission said the details of the proposed public consultation would be widely published in due course. IN another development, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has warned Pay TV channels that the transmission of unclassified, vulgar and obscene musical videos will not be tolerated, henceforth. Broadcasters have the obligations to ensure that musical works are suitable for broadcast before putting them on air, NBC said yesterday.

In a statement in Abuja, Acting Director, Public Affairs, Antia Ekanem, noted that all broadcasters transmitting Free-To-Air satellite services must encrypt all broadcasting signals on their platform.

He said, “We wish to request all Pay TV channels to observe the rules on decency of broadcast content. Many Pay TV channels, especially, carry very vulgar, indecent and obscene contents. Broadcasters must take cognisance of the code provisions on watershed.

“NBC has monitored in recent time the transmission of Free-To-Air satellite signals with unwholesome content into the country. Some of these channels seek to threaten our core values and deliberately seek to undermine our unity and peace, as a country. It has, therefore, become expedient to remind all broadcasters or operators and users of satellite broadcasting in Nigeria of the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and the act which are the grand laws for broadcasting in Nigeria.”