Ghana - Internet and Broadband Market - Overview and Statistics

Synopsis

Ghana was among the first countries in Africa connected to the Internet and to introduce ADSL broadband services. The sector is highly competitive with more than 140 licensed ISPs, although the bulk of the market is in the hands of only a few. Internet user penetration is still low at around 10% of the population, mainly due to the poor condition of the national fixed-line network and the high cost of connectivity. However, developments are now speeding up following the introduction of wireless and 3G mobile broadband technologies such as iBurst, WiMAX and HSPA, and the arrival of two new international fibre links in 2009 and 2010 which has ended the monopolistic pricing of international bandwidth. The re-privatised national carrier, Ghana Telecom has begun to be more effective in driving the broadband market by expanding its retail as well as wholesale offerings under the new Vodafone banner.

Table of Contents

• 1. Synopsis
• 2. Internet market
  • 2.1 Overview
    • 2.1.1 Internet statistics
  • 2.2 PC penetration, Affordable computer programs
  • 2.3 Public Internet access locations
    • 2.3.1 Shared access centres
    • 2.3.2 Mobile Telecentre To-Go
  • 2.4 Dial-up
• 3. ISP market
  • 3.1 Major ISPs
    • 3.1.1 Network Computer Systems (Ghana.com)
    • 3.1.2 InternetGhana
    • 3.1.3 Africa Online
    • 3.1.4 BusyInternet
    • 3.1.5 Linkserve
    • 3.1.6 IDN
  • 3.2 Ghana Internet Service Providers Association (GISPA)
  • 3.3 Ghana Internet Exchange Point (GIX)
• 4. Broadband market
  • 4.1 Overview
  • 4.2 ADSL
  • 4.3 Wireless broadband
    • 4.3.1 iBurst
    • 4.3.2 WiMAX
    • 4.3.3 WiFi
    • 4.3.4 CDMA (Kasapa)
  • 4.4 Powerline Communication (PLC)
  • 4.5 Internet via satellite
• 5. International bandwidth
  • 5.1 SAT-3/WASC submarine fibre
  • 5.2 Other international fibre projects
  • 5.3 O3b
• 6. Domestic backbone network infrastructure
  • 6.1 Ghana National Public Data Network (DataNet)
  • 6.2 GT FastNet
  • 6.3 VoltaCom
  • 6.4 Internet Solutions (IS)
  • 6.5 Phase3 Telecom
  • 6.6 Electronic Data Interchange
  • 6.7 VSAT networks
• 7. Convergence
  • 7.1 VoIP telephony
  • 7.2 Broadband TV (IPTV)
  • 7.3 E-commerce
  • 7.4 E-government, e-Ghana project
  • 7.5 E-learning
  • 7.6 Business Process Outsourcing (BPO)
• 8. Related reports

• Table 1 – Internet users and penetration rate – 2000 - 2012
• Table 2 – Internet subscribers and penetration rate – 2005 - 2009
• Table 3 – DSL vs dial-up subscribers – 2005 - 2009
• Table 4 – Vodafone Ghana ADSL pricing – August 2010