2019 Ghana - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 3 Apr 2019 Update History

Report Status: Archived

Report Pages: 115

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Publication Overview

This report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Ghana’s telecommunications market. The report analyses the fixed-line, mobile and broadband sectors. Subjects include:

Market and industry analyses, trends and developments;
Facts, figures and statistics;
Industry and regulatory issues;
Infrastructure developments;
Major Players, Revenues, Subscribers, ARPU, MoU;
Mobile Voice and Data Markets;
Broadband (FttP, DSL, cable, wireless);
Mobile subscribers and ARPU;
Broadband market forecasts;
Government policies affecting the telecoms industry;
Market liberalisation and industry issues;
Telecoms operators – privatisation, IPOs, acquisitions, new licences;
Mobile technologies (GSM; 3G, HSPA, LTE).

Researcher: Henry Lancaster
Current publication date: April 2019 (18th Edition)

Executive Summary

Vodafone Ghana launches LTE services following spectrum auction

Ghana’s telecom market has benefited from the privatisation of the incumbent telco Ghana Telecom and its rebranding as Vodafone Ghana. The company is the principal fixed-line provider and also the third largest player in the mobile services sector, after MTN and the recently merged AirtelTigo. It remains a key investor in telecom infrastructure, supported by various government-funded schemes to extend the reach of telecom services nationally. Recent upgrades have included an extension to the Eastern Corridor as well as a new cable connecting to Burkina Faso operated by Vodafone Wholesale.

The launch of LTE services by Vodafone Ghana in March 2019 and the extension of LTE-A services by MTN Ghana, have greatly improved the quality of mobile data services for end-users. This has been reflected in a number of areas, including the strong m-commerce and m-banking sectors. The vibrant mobile market has retained steady subscriber growth.

Ghana has a highly competitive internet market, and though there is a large number of licensed ISPs most subscribers are customers of only a few operators. In common with other markets in the region, the vast majority of internet accesses are via mobile networks.

Key developments:

Eastern Corridor project completed;
Facebook and Vodafone Ghana launch Express Wi-Fi program
Ghana Investment Fund sets out national telecom coverage goals;
Vodafone Ghana secures block of 800MHz spectrum for $30 million, launches LTE services;
MTN Ghana lists on the Ghanaian stock exchange;
Government to set up an additional 600 towers to provide basic mobile services;
M-money interoperability launched;
Merger of networks of Tigo Ghana and Airtel Ghana nears completion;
Regulator’s fines on MNOs for QoS issues stimulate additional investments
Report update includes the regulator’s market data to September 2018, telcos’ operating data to Q4 2018, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Vodafone Ghana (Ghana Telecom, OneTouch), Capital Telecom, Globacom, MainOne, VoltaCom, Phase3 Telecom, Suburban Telecom, AirtelTigo (Tigo Ghana, Airtel Ghana), MTN Ghana, Expresso Telecom (Sudatel, Kasapa), Globacom (Glo Mobile), Thuraya, Network Computer Systems (NCS), InternetGhana, Africa Online, Busy Internet, Linkserve, IDN, Infinite Stream Ghana, Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG), Cactel Communications, O3b Networks, Internet Solutions.

Henry Lancaster
April 2019

Key statistics

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Market analysis
Regional Africa Market Comparison

TMI vs GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband
Fixed and mobile broadband

Regulatory environment

Regulatory authority
West African Common Regulatory Framework 2005
Competition framework 2006
Electronic Communications Act
Electronic Transaction Act
Universal service
Ghana Investment Fund for Telecommunications (GIFTEL)

The eCARE project

Telecom sector liberalisation
Fixed-line licence conditions

Fixed network operators

Vodafone Ghana

Privatisation
Network infrastructure

Airtel Ghana (Zain, Westel)

Nationalisation 2006
Re-privatisation 2007

Capital Telecom (defunct)

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network
Fibre backbone infrastructure
Internet Exchange Points (IXPs)
International infrastructure

Submarine fibre optic cables
Satellite services

Data centres

Broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview
Broadband statistics

Forecasts – fixed broadband subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023

Public Internet Access Venues (PAVs)
Shared access centres
Mobile Telecentre To-Go

Ghana Internet Service Providers Association (GISPA)
Ghana Internet Exchange Point (GIX)

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)
Other fixed broadband services

Fixed wireless broadband
Powerline Communication (PLC)
Satellite broadband
O3b

Domestic backbone network infrastructure

Ghana National Public Data Network (DataNet)
FastNet
VoltaCom
Internet Solutions (IS)
Phase3 Telecom
Electronic Data Interchange

Digital economy

E-commerce
E-government, e-Ghana project
E-learning
E-health

Mobile communications

Market analysis
Mobile statistics

General statistics
Mobile broadband
SMS
Forecasts – mobile subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023

Regulatory issues

Quality of Service (QoS)
Licensing
Spectrum
Roaming
Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs)
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Network sharing
Taxation
SIM card registration

Mobile infrastructure

Analogue networks
Digital networks
Other infrastructure developments

Major mobile operators

Vodafone Ghana (Ghana Telecom, OneTouch)
MTN Ghana (formerly ScanCom, Spacefon Areeba)
Tigo Ghana (Millicom Ghana, Mobitel)
Expresso
Airtel Ghana (Zain/Celtel, Westel)
Glo Mobile
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
M2M

Mobile content and applications

M-banking
M-health

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Ghana – 2018
Table 2 – Fixed-line subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2018
Table 3 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1999 – 2009
Table 4 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2010 – 2018
Table 5 – International bandwidth – 2001 – 2016
Table 6 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 2000 – 2009
Table 7 – Internet users and penetration rate – 2010 – 2022
Table 8 – Fixed-line broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2018
Table 9 – Forecast fixed broadband subscribers in Ghana – 2019; 2021; 2023
Table 10 – Vodafone Ghana broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2018
Table 11 – DSL subscribers – 2005 – 2016
Table 12 – Broadband wireless access subscribers by operator – 2016 – 2017
Table 13 – Broadband wireless access market share by operator– 2005 – 2017
Table 14 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1999 – 2009
Table 15 – Mobile voice subscribers – 2010 – 2018
Table 16 – Mobile voice subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2018
Table 17 – Mobile voice subscriber market share by operator – 2011 – 2018
Table 18 – Overview of mobile network launch dates
Table 19 – Mobile broadband subscribers by operator – 2013 – 2018
Table 20 – Mobile broadband subscriber share by operator – 2015 – 2018
Table 21 – Mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2018
Table 22 – Forecast mobile subscribers – 2019; 2021; 2023
Table 23 – LTE subscribers by operator – 2016 – 2018
Table 24 – Vodafone Ghana subscribers – 2008 – 2018
Table 25 – MTN Ghana financial data – 2011 – 2018
Table 26 – MTN Ghana revenue by type – 2015 – 2018
Table 27 – MTN Ghana mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2018
Table 28 – MTN Ghana ARPU – 2002 – 2018
Table 29 – Tigo Ghana mobile subscribers (regulator data) – 2013 – 2017
Table 30 – Tigo Ghana mobile subscribers (company data) – 2010 – 2017
Table 31 – Espresso Ghana mobile subscribers – 2013 – 2017
Table 32 – Airtel Ghana (Airtel Tigo) mobile subscribers – 2013 – 2018
Table 33 – Glo Mobile subscribers – 2013 – 2018

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Overall Africa view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita – 2018
Chart 2 – West Africa - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita – 2018
Chart 3 – Africa – Top-tier Telecoms Maturity Index (Market Leaders) – 2018
Chart 4 – West Africa –Telecoms Maturity Index by country – 2018
Chart 5 – West Africa mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration – 2018
Chart 6 – West Africa fixed and mobile penetration rates – 2018
Chart 7 - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2005 – 2018
Chart 8 – Internet users and penetration rate – 2010 – 2022
Chart 9 - Mobile voice subscribers and penetration rate – 2005 – 2018
Chart 10 – Mobile voice subscribers by operator – 2011 – 2018
Chart 11 – Mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2018
Chart 12 – MTN Ghana financial data – 2011 – 2018
Chart 13 – MTN Ghana revenue by type – 2015 – 2018

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 – West Africa - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country
Exhibit 3 – SMS as a weapon against drug counterfeiting

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2019 Ghana - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Vodafone Ghana launches LTE services following spectrum auction

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Broadband market

Digital economy

Mobile communications

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views