Takoradi, Sept. 3 – Telecel Ghana is undertaking a major nationwide network expansion and upgrade this year to improve internet speeds, reduce congestion and extend quality connectivity to underserved communities, following significant growth in its subscriber base and increased demand for its services.
The Director of External Affairs at Telecel Ghana, Mr. Komla Etornam Buami, disclosed this at a media soirée organised by the telecommunications company for journalists in the Western and Central regions.
He said the company had substantially increased investment in its network infrastructure and other operations as part of efforts to improve customer experience and respond to increasing utilisation of its services across the country.
“The amount of money we have invested in our business this year is much more than what we have done in previous years,” Mr Buami said.
He explained that the increased investment had already contributed to the expansion of Telecel’s subscriber base and supported the overall growth of the company.
According to him, network expansion and improvement remained a major priority for Telecel, particularly as the company sought to extend reliable connectivity to communities in underserved areas and the hinterland.
Fibre cuts
Mr Buami, however, identified the persistent cutting of fibre-optic cables as one of the major challenges affecting the quality and reliability of telecommunications services.
“One of the critical things we have noticed is fibre cuts within our network,” he said.
He explained that although ongoing road construction and expansion projects were important to the country’s development, some of the activities associated with such projects had resulted in damage to underground telecommunications infrastructure.
“We are seeing an increasing number of fibre cuts daily, and this is causing lots of issues,” he said.
Mr Buami, therefore, called for greater collaboration and care among contractors, state agencies and telecommunications operators during road construction and other infrastructure projects to protect fibre-optic cables and other critical telecommunications installations.
He said protecting such infrastructure would help minimise network disruptions and ensure that customers enjoyed reliable voice and data services.
Jobs retained
Touching on Telecel’s acquisition and transition from Vodafone Ghana, Mr Buami said the company had retained the employees who were working with Vodafone before the change in ownership and branding.
“When Telecel took over from Vodafone, there had not been any job losses. Telecel has kept the jobs of everybody who was in Vodafone,” he stated.
He said the retention of employees formed part of the company’s efforts to ensure continuity and sustain the expertise required to support its operations and expansion.
Media partnership
The Executive Head of Telecel for the Western and Central regions, Mr. Samuel Gbadago, called for stronger collaboration between the telecommunications company and the media.
He said such a partnership was necessary to promote accurate, balanced and well-informed reporting on developments within the telecommunications sector.
Mr Gbadago said the media remained an important stakeholder in helping consumers understand developments in the industry, including network expansion, service challenges and technological advancement.
The Head of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Telecel Ghana, Rita Agyeiwaa Rockson, also took the journalists through the evolution of the company, tracing its history from Posts and Telecommunications (P&T) and Ghana Telecom through OneTouch and Vodafone Ghana to its present identity as Telecel Ghana.
She highlighted the company’s contributions to the development of Ghana’s telecommunications industry and said Telecel remained committed to using connectivity and technology to support national development.
Source: Anthony Sasu Ayisadu/ATLFMNEWS
