Poor ICT and Internet service interruption : A major challenge to service delivery

ICT, according to UNDP, has been defined to include the full range of electronic technologies and techniques used to manage information and knowledge. It is an indisputable fact that ICT products and services permeate every facet of human endeavour such as education, religion, commerce, governance, to mention but a few. According to the UN ICT Task Force, nowhere is the digital divide more pronounced than in countries of the African continent. Africa is rated as the most unconnected in an increasing connected world.

Despite this assertion some ten years ago, Ghana, in its pride as the gateway to Africa, has come a long way in actualising the listed objectives within Ghana’s ICT for Accelerated Development Policy (ICT4AD). Some of the successes chalked include the availability and capacity of international bandwidth; the enactment and implementation of appropriate legal instruments on electronic communications as well as the enforcement of regulatory policies by government’s subsidiary ICT agencies such as the National Information Technology Agency (NITA) and the National Communications Authority (NCA). 

It is noteworthy that the road to massive ICT penetration has not been without its fair share of challenges from regulatory and operational standpoints. It is in this light that this article seeks to identify some major drawbacks in our quest for continuing to be a haven of ICT investment destination in Africa. Moreso, the piece also proffers some ongoing regulatory intervention measures within the purview of the NCA that are being exacted to address some of these prevailing challenges identified.

Fibre cuts

Fibre optic cables are needed to facilitate enhanced access to broadband services for all persons living in Ghana. However, it is obvious that urban development has assumed great proportions with the continuous construction of the road networks and buildings in the country. This, though beneficial, is also a bane to laid fibre transmission to district capitals, clusters, big business buildings and neighbourhoods. Frequent fibre cuts have contributed to many incidents of poor service quality.

Network coverage

Network Coverage from an industry standpoint leaves much to be desired of the expected Quality of Service (QoS) often required of telecom operators. Till date, only two operators have successfully complied with their coverage roll-out obligations in all 170 district capitals as per Article 7.1 of the 3G licence. That notwithstanding, there are coverage black holes dotted throughout the country. The NCA is working with all operators to ensure that they meet their coverage obligations to ensure consumer satisfaction.

Availability of land for the erection of Masts and Towers

It is evident that the growing demand for mobile services has necessitated the increase in communications infrastructure such as towers; which are needed for adequate network coverage and access that guarantees good quality of service.

However, land and property owners are reluctant to release lands to MNOs and other operators for erection of Masts and Towers. This is as a result of the erroneous perception regarding the hazardous effects of radiation of telecom masts on human health. The Radiation Protection Institute of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission has conducted studies which clearly shows that the emission levels from towers and masts are very minimal and pose no threat to humans. Unwarranted public concern about the health impact of radiation from telecom towers, vis-a-vis the need for quality telecom service and despite co-location of masts by operators, presents a rather complex puzzle for anyone to deal with as telecommunication masts are a very important part of the industry.

It is also interesting to note that the very communities which need data services are often the very ones who refuse to give MNOs and other operators access to erect masts and towers, and they include a number of tertiary institutions and real estate developers. Thus, without readiness to allow telecom infrastructure, the required quality mobile network service cannot be possible.

Type of equipment

Another possible reason for poor data service may be due to the type of communication equipment. Generally, communication equipment should meet a minimum set of regulatory, technical and safety requirements prior to its use in any country. Out of ignorance, consumers tend to purchase communication equipment which does not meet the set standards. Eventually, these sub-standard equipment are sometimes unable to pick signals resulting in erratic service outages.

Regulatory interventions

The country’s telecom regulator has over the years spearheaded efforts aimed at providing a stable regulatory environment; one that is needed to improve upon the quality of ICT and Internet service delivery in the country as well as to foster growth within the industry.
Directives on Quality of Service

An intensive QoS assessment campaign with its associate sanctioning regime have been introduced in the last couple of years to provide impetus to the authority’s commitment to ensuring that mobile network operators deliver on the Quality of Service Obligations. Defaulters of QoS licence obligations have in the past and in present day been served with directives on network coverage expansions aimed at improving service offering. Further to the above monitoring activity, the authority will this year be embarking on a extensive 3G Coverage Verification campaign to ascertain and ensure that 3G licensees are maintaining the service coverage which they indicated to have rolled out as per their quarterly coverage deployment reporting obligation to the authority.

To ascertain and ensure that 3G licensees are maintaining the service coverage which they indicated to have rolled out as per their quarterly coverage deployment reporting obligation to the authority.

Type approval regime

Type Approval and Equipment Port Inspection activities have also provided a positive impact on the subscriber experience. The main objective of type approval is to ensure that all equipment that are used comply with international standards, protecting consumers from products that are hazardous and ensure that their operation do not affect the user or functioning of other equipment.

This also ensures that the equipment will support consumer experience. Under the dispensation of NCA’s stringent equipment conformance testing regime, vendors of ICT equipment and user devices have to comply with the laws since failure to meet the stated requirements imply seizure and confiscation of these equipment during port inspection duties by an NCA official. The authority also has an online portal where consumers and the general public can check to determine if the equipment they want to purchase for use in Ghana have been certified by the NCA. We, however, caution consumers that the certification is only for the standards and does not apply to warranty issues.

Complaints management system

The NCA has also introduced an online complaints management system where consumers can lodge complaints of poor service delivery for the authority’s prompt regulatory intervention. Notifications of network fault incidents, coupled with consistent enforcement of consumer compensations for service interruptions have translated into improved service offerings for subscribers of telecom services. The NCA, therefore, encourages consumers to forward their concerns to the authority to serve as evidence-based regulatory interventions.

Consumer Satisfaction Survey

In addition, the authority’s newly adopted culture of administering Consumer Satisfaction Surveys have provided the regulator with an appreciably fair assessment of consumers’ degree of satisfaction with services being provided by the telcos ,thus, reinstating a vote of confidence in the consumer protection mandate of the authority.
Auction of the Digital Dividend For 4G Services

The NCA recently auctioned off one of the two (2) lots in 800MHz band in its quest to execute the Digital Migration agenda for 2016. MTN won the authorisation to provide high-speed affordable 4G LTE Internet services to their subscribers. We believe that this will bring consumers greater choice

Conclusion

In conclusion, we reiterate that Ghana is currently positioning itself in readiness for the licensing and operationalisation of the IMT-2020 (also referred to 5G) and it is believed that under the ambit of the right regulatory policies and interventions, the people of Ghana will experience the full benefits of these ICT advancement. — GB
From the Consumer and Corporate Affairs Division, National Communications Authority, Accra