The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) on Tuesday said the lack of stable electricity supply was the major challenge facing the telecomunications sector.

Mr Titi Omo-Ettu, President of ATCON, told newsmen in Lagos that this had led to inconvenience on the part of the consumers.

Omo-Ettu said that though the telecommunications sector had done well in the spread of service, creation of jobs and inflow of foreign investment, it still faced some challenges.

According to him, the greatest challenge is public electricity supply.

“As things stand, our association does not see hope in the reform which current managers of the power industry are adopting.

“The statement of Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji, who is working a four-year plan to ensure stable public power, is unacceptable as it is short of quality strategy.

“A true liberalisation strategy in which licensees for power service delivery are permitted without any encumbrance and linkage to existing inefficient power management of PHCN system is required,’’ Omo-Ettu said.

He said, “We invite the nation’s power sector managers and indeed all other sectors of the economy to deliberately embrace the workable aspects of the liberalisation strategy adopted in the telecommunications sector. “

He said that the growth of the telecommunications sector had been faster than what the environment could sustain.

“The growth was, therefore, challenged by poor quality of service which translates to increased cost and severe inconvenience for the consumers.

“Quality Internet access is now about broadband because it is the total concept for solution to the problem of reach, access and affordability.