Telephones and Communication

The telephone system is run by Ghana Telecom and is relatively reliable. Telephone users in the country increased from 218,000 in 2000 to three million (3,000,000) as at the end of 2005.overwhelmingly popular use of mobile telephones in the cities.

Fixed Network

• Telephone Lines (2005): 3,000,000
• Telephone density(2005 est.): ? lines/100 persons
• Since the privatization of Ghana Telecom (GT) in 1996, it has increased phone lines from 78,900 to 130,000 as at December 1997.
• 5,000 pay phones (2000)
• Ghana Telecom now accounts for over 73% of telephone lines in the country
• A Norwegian company, Telenor, manages Ghana Telecom

Cellular/Mobile Network

The first cellular phone service in Ghana was initiated by Mobitel in 1992. In that year alone, 19,000 Ghanaians owned mobile phones. In 1998 the number of mobile phone users in the country increased to 43,000 and by the middle of 1999 the number increased to 68,000.

Four companies now compete for cellular customers, and usage rose from 22,000 to 132,000 subscribers between 1999 and 2000.
Networks: GSM-900 (digital), (E)TACS and AMPS.

Cellular Market Penetration (September 2003)

Analogue Subscribers	Digital Subscribers	Total Subscribers	Population	Penetration
50,400	651,600	702,000	20.26mil	33,46