2015 Ghana - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband

Government invests in Eastern and Western Corridor fibre infrastructure

Ghana’s telecom sector has benefited from it having been one of the first on the continent to be liberalised and deregulated. The privatisation of Ghana Telecom in 1996 was the catalyst for an extraordinary growth in market competition across the mobile, internet and fixed-line sectors. The company has been part of the Vodafone Group since 2008. Other international players which have invested in Ghana’s telecom market include Bharti Airtel, MTN and Millicom, all three of which are significant regional players.

The landing of two international submarine fibre optic cables in 2012 and 2013 has significantly increased international bandwidth, leading to significant activity in the broadband sector. In addition, the government’s investment in its Eastern and Western Corridor fibre project has linked businesses and anchor tenants including government offices as well as a number of Community Information Centres, built to help push ICT into rural communities.

Since launching the first cellular mobile network in sub-Saharan Africa in 1992, Ghana has developed one of the continent’s most vibrant mobile markets, with six competing operators including regional heavyweights. While growth in the voice market has slowed with higher penetration, there is enormous potential in coming years for mobile data and mobile broadband. Operators are capitalising on consumer demand for services by upgrading existing 3G infrastructure with LTE.

Key developments:

• Regulator prepares to licence up to three MVNOs;
• Government removes 20% tax on smartphone imports;
• Surfline Communications expands LTE services;
• Eastern Corridor project completed, work starts on Western Corridor;
• Government plans launch of the Ghanasat 1 satellite in 2020;
• Ghana Information Communication Technology Council set up to guide the ICT sector;
• Microsoft and SpectraLink Wireless trial white spaces broadband;
• Report includes regulator’s market data to December 2014;
• Operators’ data to Q4 2014;
• Recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

MTN Ghana; Vodafone Ghana (Ghana Telecom; OneTouch); Millicom Ghana (Tigo); Expresso Telecom (Sudatel, Kasapa); Globacom (Glo Mobile); Bharti Airtel (Zain/Celtel, Westel); Thuraya, Network Computer Systems (NCS); InternetGhana; Africa Online; Busy Internet; Linkserve; IDN; Infinite Stream Ghana; Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG); Cactel Communications; Main One; O3b Networks; VoltaCom; Internet Solutions; Phase3 Telecom, Telkom Malaysia; Telenor; Capital Telecom; Suburban Telecom.