Ministry develops broadband infrastructure

Accra, Feb. 10, GNA - Dr Benjamin Aggrey-Ntim, Deputy Minister of Communications, on Friday announced that the Ministry was proceeding to develop the national broadband infrastructure to make ICT available in every corner of the country.

He said the intention was also to build a Technology Park that would open further avenues for more outsourced businesses in Ghana. Dr Aggrey-Ntim made the announcement at the launch of ExZeed Company Limited, a subsidiary of Ghana Telecom (GT), specifically set up to provide call centre service.

ExZeed, established 18 months ago, receives and responds to about 5,000 calls a day.

It also managed GT's customer service lines, 100 for fixed line, 011 for Onetouch and 160 for directory assistance. In its current capacity as a limited liability company, ExZeed also served PLT Dart and was open to other telecom companies in the country. Dr Aggrey-Ntim said plans were afoot to locate the broadband facility in a hinterland area of the country, adding that the challenge facing the Ministry was that of adequate parcel of land for the purpose at one location.

He urged GT and other ICT service providers to take advantage of the Government move to establish a broadband infrastructure and invest in its development so as to expand their present capacities.

Mr Reidar Wangen, Out-going Programmes Director of ExZeed, said the company was poised to become the best call centre service provider in Africa in the next 10 years.

"Currently we employ 250 people and we have targeted an additional workforce of 250 by the close of 2007. We plan to establish 10 similar facilities across the country and increase our workforce to 5,000 in the next 10 years," he said.

He said apart from the free call centre service it provided for GT customers, it also provided telemarketing service to wide range of corporate clientele including banks, insurance companies, utility providers and more.

Mr Philip Sowah, Chief Executive of Onetouch Mobile Phone Service, said ExZeed had in the past 18 months assisted Onetouch and GT as a whole to establish very cordial relations with its numerous customers. "Unlike before, when GT staff manned the call centre, under ExZeed, responses to customer problems do not delay anymore and our customers call and praise us for that," he said.