If you are a Multi-Links mobile subscriber and have suddenly found yourself without service in recent times, it might just be that you are within coverage of 257 base stations that were shut down in the last two weeks. Of the over 300 base stations on Multi-Links’ CDMA network, only about 43 are currently active. A huge number of staff have also been laid off in the same period.
Industry insiders tell us that Multi-Links is shutting down its CDMA network entirely and focusing on providing fibre service. Multi-Links’ terrestrial fibre optic network spans 8,232 kilometres across the country.
It isn’t clear at this time how this new development fits into the stories about a planned merger with Starcomms and MTS to form CAPCOM. However, our sources in the industry also hint that Starcomms is not exactly in very good shape either. Of course, Starcomms has been declaring losses for a number of years now.
I recently wrote a feature article expressing my doubts that CAPCOM will save CDMA in Nigeria. Perhaps the situation is even worse than we all thought it was? In whatsoever way this plays out eventually, the results will be in the open for all to see.
Update: CAPCOM has opted to keep and operate under the Starcomms brand name. Apparently, Existing Multi-Links CDMA subscribers are to be migrated to Starcomms’ network. There is no doubt that the existing Starcomms’ network has enough capacity to assimilate them. Multilinks’ cable assets too are part of the merger deal.
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