MTN takes to unlicensed spectrum for LTE-U trial

MTN has run what it is calling the first trial of LTE-Unlicensed, or LTE-U, technology in Africa. The technology uses the same shared spectrum typically used for Wi-Fi.

The mobile operator conducted the trial at its flagship store in Morningside in Sandton, Johannesburg with its long-standing technology provider, Ericsson.

The LTE-U trial was done by “aggregating” 10MHz of MTN’s licensed 1,8GHz spectrum and 20MHz in the unlicensed 5GHz band.

“The trial achieved a throughput of more than 200Mbit/s,” MTN said in a statement. The aggregation of licensed and unlicensed spectrum in indoor small cells is a key enabler for 5G.”

“LTE-U is designed to take advantage of the capacity available in the unlicensed 5GHz band spectrum,” explained MTN South Africa acting chief technology officer Krishna Chetty.

“Through aggregating licenced spectrum with unlicensed spectrum, a bigger LTE carrier is created. The ability to aggregate spectrum is one of the primary benefits of LTE.”

MTN said the lack of access to high-value spectrum will force it to combine existing licensed mobile spectrum with unlicensed bands.

Government has failed to publish a policy on so-called high-demand spectrum, leaving communication regulator Icasa, which is ready to begin the process of assigning it, in limbo.

Chetty said LTE-U packs more speed into the same site, which should allow more people to access the network simultaneously.

Henrik Linnet, head of practice for mobile broadband at Ericsson sub-Saharan Africa, said that when LTE-U is fully operational, it will allow MTN to “boost data speeds and coverage in the cellular network and support the growth of indoor traffic, by using the unlicensed 5GHz band already populated by Wi-Fi devices”.

Ericsson said the application is suitable only for in-building LTE deployments due to the characteristics of unlicensed spectrum in the 5GHz band.

“Thus far, our tests to demonstrate LTE-U have only been performed using a non-commercial prototype device, however we expect commercial devices that support LTE-U to be available in the market later this year,” MTN said.

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All madrid do is damage football; says ex-barca president

Real Madrid are detrimental to football, according to former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart. 

Gaspart was hitting back at claims that Barca have tried to bribe Granada players and officials ahead of their crucial La Liga clash on Sunday. 

Barca travel to Granada on the final day of the season leading rivals Madrid in the standings by one point, meaning a win will confirm back-to-back titles for the Catalans. 

Gaspart was furious with the claims and suggested Granada players should be offended they would even be made.

"The only thing Real Madrid do is harm football," the 71-year-old told Spanish newspaper Ara.

"If I was a Granada player I'd be offended, because it insinuates that I could be bought, it's an indecent campaign.

"I believe in football and its honesty. If such things are discovered, though - through secure investigations - then the clubs involved will have to be punished."

Gaspart - who is vice president of the Royal Spanish Football Federation - was also asked about a scandal in the 1990s involving Barca and Madrid. 

Barca are alleged to have paid Tenerife €7million after they beat Madrid on the final day of the season to hand the club the title two seasons in a row. 

"Whoever says that is a liar," he exclaimed.

"All Barcelona did was invite Tenerife to [pre-season trophy] the Gamper, not a euro was paid."

Source: yahoo news

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Nigeria is no longer Africa’s top oil producer

Following attacks on oil installations and facilities in the country, Nigeria’s oil production output has fallen to 20-years low and slipped behind Angola as the continent’s top oil producer. The attacks are the result of a resurgent militancy in Nigeria’s oil rich Niger-Delta region where a new group, called the Niger Delta Avengers, have taken up arms, attacking pipelines and major installations.

In February, Royal Dutch Shell stopped oil shipments after an attack on a key pipeline which supplies a terminal with an export output of about 250,000 barrels a day.Shell has also been forced to evacuate a major oil field after militants issued threats of an attack. Another oil company, Chevron, shut down a facility costing the country around 90,000 barrels daily after it was breached by unknown persons  The attacks have also hit pipelines supplying local refineries and electricity gas lines in the country. 

The Niger Delta Avengers group says its goal is to cripple the Nigerian economy unless the government accedes to it's numerous demandsone of which is the immediate clean up of Ogoniland. Another is the continuation of an amnesty programme for militants in the region. In response, Nigeria’s president Buhari has ordered the military to crush the group

The disruption to Nigeria’s production output compounds the country’s woes amid low oil prices. The resource accounts for 70% of Nigeria’s earnings and at a time when the country is trying to fund a record budget deficit, timing could not be worse. Within its shores, Nigeria is still dealing with a fuel shortage crisis  triggered by the government’s insistence on avoiding a devaluation of its currency despite a steep drop against the dollar.

More info?? Click here

Source: yahoo news

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Some allocated oil blocs and there worth

* OML 110 Obe oil field owed by Alhaji Mai Daribe, Cavendish Petroleum with an estimated 500 million barrel of crude oil.
* Akpo condensate field awarded to Sapetro Oil owned by Gen Theophilus Damjuma.
*OML 112 and OML 117 awarded to AMNI International Petroleum Development Company owned by Colonel Sanni Bello, son-in-law to former Head of State. Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar.
*OML 115 also known as Oldwok field and Ebok field awarded to Alhaji Mohammed Indimi, in-law to former Head of State, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.
*OML 215 awarded to and operated by Nor East Petroleum Limited owned by one Alhali Saleh Mohammed Gambo. The field is worth $100 billion dollars after tax.
*OML 108 awarded to Express Petroleum Company owned by Alhaji Aminu Dantata. This field is worth $128 billion dollars.
* OML 113 allocated to Yinka Folawiyo Petroleum Limited owned by Alhaji W. I. Folawiyo. Net worth is $150 billion dollars.
*Prince Nasiru Ado Bayero cousin to the Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanisu, owns ASUOKPU/UMUTU marginal oil fields. It is worth $110 billion dollars.
* Inter is owned by Atiku Abubakar, Yara dua and Ado Bayero has a substantial stakes in the oil and gas exploration in the Niger Delta of Nigeria.
* AMNI International Petroleum Company owns OML 112 and OML 117. Former Minister of Petroleum and OPEC Chairman, Rilwanu Lukman, has major stakes in AMNI International Petroleum Company.
*OML 67 is operated Afren Plc. Rilwanu lukman also has a major stakes and the field worth $180 billion dollars.
* OPL 245 is awarded to Malabu Oil and Gas owned by Dan Etete. It is worth $50 billion Dollars. *OPL 289 and OPL 233 were awarded to Cleanwater Consortium; the two fields are worth $200 billion dollars. Former Governor Peter Odili of River State, Obasanjo and Sultan of Sokoto has major Stake15. OPL 288 was awarded to focus Energy Senator Andy Uba, Obasanjo, and Gen Theophilus Y Danjuma are the major stakeholders. The field is worth $70 billion Dollars.
* OPL 291 awarded to Starcrest Energy Nigeria Limited owned by Emeka Offor. The field is worth $100 billion dollars.
*Mike Adenuga’s Conoil controls and operates Six (6) oil blocs and exports about 500,000 barrels of crude oil daily. These 6 oil blocs are worth $500 billion dollars.

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Niger Delta Avengers threaten to blow up oil blocs belonging to Atiku, Danjuma, Adenuga, others

The Niger Delta Avengers has threatened to blow up the oil blocs of former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma, ex-Minister of Petroleum, Alhaji Riwalnu Lukman, other Northerners and South-Westerners in Niger-Delta region.

In an email by its spokesperson, Col Mudoch Agbinibo and obtained by Vanguard, the militants who are fighting for a sovereign state of the Niger Delta, issued the oil well owners a two-week ultimatum to shut their operations in the Niger Delta and evacuate the workers from the locations or have them blown up.

“If at the end of the ultimatum and you are still operating, we will blow up all the locations. It will be bloody. So, just shut down your operations and leave"

The oil Blocs listed are Apo Well awarded to Sapetro Oil owned by Gen Theophilus Y Danjuma. Apo field is capable of producing 300,000 barrels per day and crude reserve of 500 million barrels.

For some  list of oil blocs , owners and worth,click here

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Rapist, 82, who kept his own daughter as a sex slave for 23 years is freed from prison

I was reading this story on Linda's blog...I was like....damn!!!!.... should this guy really be released this early? Is it not madness?   rape your own blood daughter for 23 yrs? I repeat...23yrs!!!. Some put the blame on the government for releasing him that early...

For me, I think that man still needs more time in the prison... 

Ronald, known as one of New Zealand's most dreaded rapists, was sent to prison for 15 years for sexual abuse of his daughter.

He kept his daughter as a sex slave for 23 years of her life and would hang her up by her ankles or lock her head in a box with a padlock before raping her.

He has now been freed from prison and released to his Te Atatu address, where he abused Ms Darke, his daughter, amid fears he could commit rape offences again
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Fuel to officially sell at 145 naira!!

Iba kachikwu confirms the selling of fuel for 145 naira...read from the pic below

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Recharge your phone by snapping the recharge card!

Technology rules the world and it is proving so everyday.  Have you had of this application called "snap 2 recharge".... With this application, you can recharge your phone without having to type. All you need to do is to SNAP!!...

Primary features of the app includes
1. Recharge mobile phones
2. Check Airtime Balance
3. Transfer Airtime
4. Borrow Airtime
5. Advert section

This app works very well on most android devices, Sony, Samsung Galaxy, Infinity, HTC, Tecno, Etc.

This is how the application works::

1) Choose language (currently only English is available in order to keep app size reasonably cool).
2) Press "SCAN" button and take a picture of the recharge card held in horizontal orientation.
3) the direct capture from the camera Snap2Recharge is SMART enough to crop out and select the area of interest.
4) Press "OK" and on the next screen, if text in the image appears sideways or upside down rotate it, OTHERWISE Snap2Recharge won't work accurately.
5) Press "OK", and wait for a text to process to establish a connection, the longer the text on the card, it may take some more seconds to complete. (Note that the very first time application is run, this process will take slightly longer in other to load utility resources in cache ).
6) If results of Snap2Recharge are satisfactory - great, if not, click "CANCEL" button and repeat the process.
7) Edit the text if necessary, and share via the application of interest. to invite your friends

NOTE: DO NOT attempt to scan a card from a computer or any other type of screen/monitor, Snap2Recharge OCR simply won't work.

To download... Visit your playstore and type "snap2recharge"...then download..

Post your comment on how you feel about the app, if you have any.. thank you 

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Buhari Embarrassed By Cameron’s Corruption Comment On Nigeria

The Nigerian Presidency on Tuesday said it found as “embarrassing” a statement credited to the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, describing Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country.

In a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES by President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Garba Shehu, shortly after the news of the Prime Minister’s comment went viral on the Internet, the presidency said, “This is embarrassing to us, to us say the least, given the good work that the President is doing, Mr. Buhari said. “The eyes of the world are on what is happening here.”

The presidency argued that the “Prime Minister must be looking at an old snapshot of Nigeria. Things are changing with corruption and everything else.”
The statement, however, welcomed the remarks by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who said President Buhari was not corrupt.
“Thank you to the Archbishop. We have great admiration for the good relationship between our two countries,” the presidency said.

Mr. Cameron was caught on camera ridiculing Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country on Tuesday afternoon.

In the short footage, published by British television station, ITV News, Mr. Cameron told the British monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, that Nigeria and Afghanistan are “two of the most corrupt countries in the world”.
Mr. Cameron’s comment was published just as President Muhammadu Buhari departed Nigeria Tuesday to attend an anti-corruption summit organised by the UK government to be held in London on Thursday.

Mr. Cameron was briefing the Queen on the notoriety of countries expected to attend the summit during an event at the Buckingham Palace to celebrate the monarch’s 90th birthday, ITV News reported.
Mr. Welby, however, said Mr. Buhari is not a corrupt person.
“But this particular president is actually not corrupt,” the religious leader said. “Oh yes, he’s trying very hard this one.”

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Suicide bomber attacks mosque in Borno

Many were injured after a male suicide bomber blew himself up at a mosque in Sulimanti ward of Maiduguri, the Borno state capital this morning.

According to reports, two male suicide bombers arrived the mosque but one of them took off without detonating the bomb strapped on him while the bomb on the other one exploded a few metres from the Masalacin Kofar Shehu Councillor mosque where Muslim faithful were performing their morning prayers. He was the only casualty in the attack.Civilian Joint Task Force later arrived at the scene

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Ola Driver Arrested for Molesting 23-year-old Belgian woman

In yet another case of alleged molestation in car services in the national capital, an Ola cab driver was apprehended on Sunday after a Belgian national alleged molestation, while she was on her way to C.R. Park yesterday night.

DCP (South-east) M. S. Randhawa told ANI that the Ola cab driver, who allegedly molested the Belgian woman in Delhi’s C.R. Park area has been apprehended. The cab service provider issued a statement, saying they have terminated the driver with ‘immediate effect’.

It further stated that the service would share all required information with the authorities to help resolve this for the customer, adding that they have ‘zero tolerance’ to such behaviour from drivers on the platform. Earlier in January, a cab driver allegedly molested a journalist who was travelling from Noida to Delhi.

In December last year, another Ola cab driver allegedly raped a woman passenger, a mother of two children in the vehicle in Bhopal.

In December 2014, a 27-year-old woman was raped in an Uber taxi, which she had hired to return home from a party in Gurgaon.

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