The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications and the GSMA, an organization that represents the interest of mobile operators worldwide will jointly organize an industry workshop in Accra on Monday, 9th July, 2012.
It would be on how to expedite the expansion of quality broadband services in Ghana.
A statement issued by the Chamber of Telecommunications in Accra on Friday said the one day workshop would bring together representatives from government, regulators, network operators and other sector players, to discuss spectrum migration, quality of mobile services and taxation policies.
It indicated that, “It will be an open stimulating dialogue. We’ll have expert conversation on these three areas to support policy decisions that impact the telecommunications industry in Ghana,” according to Mr. Kwaku Sakyi –Addo, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber.
He said, “Telecommunications has become a driver of productivity, economic growth, social activity and development”.
The statement said Ghana was expected to complete a switchover from analogue to digital frequencies in 2014, and explained that it would free the spectrum, which would create further investments in mobile broadband infrastructure, improvement in quality of service and wider and cheaper access to services.
Peter Lyons, Director, Middle East and Africa, GSMA, said, “We urge the Ghanaian government to push hard on the analogue to digital switchover and provide a leading example for other countries in the region to meet the 2015 deadline.”
The statement said “freeing vital ‘digital dividend’ spectrum for mobile will have a significant impact on the country – it will result in GH¢ 1.4 billion in additional Gross Domestic Product, help create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and generate GH¢198 million in additional tax revenues for the government by 2020.”
It said the GSMA has worked successfully with governments and international organizations across the globe through regional seminars and discussions that address regulatory issues facing the telecoms industry today.
The statement said five mobile network operators in Ghana launched the Chamber of Telecommunications in 2011 as a private initiative to help shape policy in one of Africa’s fastest most active telecoms markets.
It said a sixth player, Globacom, launched its services in Ghana in April to join Airtel, Expresso, MTN, Tigo and Vodafone.
The statement said operators have invested more than US$5.6 billion in Ghana over the last decade and have created more than 1.5 million jobs and were responsible for 10 percent of all government revenues.
Ghana, the world’s second leading cocoa producer after neigbouring Cote D’ Ivoire, and a new crude oil producer, has a population of 25 million people. There are over 21 million sim cards in circulation.**
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