At hotels in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt, MTN Nigeria offers a public access Telepresence Room

12 April 2010. Cisco has announced that MTN Nigeria, in collaboration with Cisco and Resourcery plc, has become the first service provider in Nigeria to offer Cisco TelePresence.

The first public Cisco TelePresence rooms in Nigeria — which will be known as ‘MTN ePresence rooms’ — will provide convenient local sites for virtual in-person meetings at three locations: the Southern Sun Hotel in Lagos, the Sheraton Hotel in Abuja and the Le Meridian Hotel in Port Harcourt.

Initially, communication between the three locations will be available and MTN will eventually support the ability to connect with other Cisco TelePresence rooms around the world.

The launch of the MTN ePresence rooms is a significant milestone for intra-company communications throughout Nigeria and beyond … similar facilities can be built for enterprises throughout Nigeria.

Customers will be able to purchase time in MTN ePresence rooms on an hourly or daily basis. Each room has been installed with a Cisco TelePresence System 1300, which is ideally suited for multi-purpose conference rooms as it seats up to six participants and consists of a single 65-inch display. The Cisco TelePresence System 1300 maintains the life-size, immersive experience while offering more flexible deployment options.

Resourcery plc, one of the leading systems integrators in Nigeria, is a Cisco Authorized Technology Provider Partner for TelePresence. It also provides a comprehensive range of enterprise-wide information and communications technology solutions and services. The company worked closely with MTN and Cisco to deliver the Cisco TelePresence solution.

The real-life meeting experience provided by TelePresence is delivered through ultra-high-definition video that reveals subtle facial expressions conveying nonverbal reactions. Spatial audio allows the transmission of every nuance of the conversation and enables participants to interact as they would in person.

An expert on investment products based in a Lagos bank, for example, can have face-to-face private meetings with customers in Abuja and Port Harcourt without having to travel long distance. Similarly, a geological data analyst for an exploration company can meet face-to-face with several teams in Lagos, Port Harcourt and Abuja in one day, and still attend personal commitments.

 Derek Appiah, chief Enterprise Solutions officer, MTN Nigeria, said: “In today’s climate, companies across Nigeria are looking at better ways to conduct business, keep a firm control on costs, and get more productivity. MTN Nigeria is the only company in Nigeria that has the fiber infrastructure to offer Cisco TelePresence cost effectively. Our new ePresence service provides a compelling business case to save cost and time, as well as being environmentally friendly.”

MTN Nigeria is part of the MTN Group, Africa’s leading cellular telecommunications company.