Telecommunications companies operating in Ghana risk facing regulatory penalties if they fail to comply with tighter call quality standards introduced by the National Communications Authority (NCA).
The regulator has reduced the acceptable call drop rate from three per cent to one per cent as part of efforts to improve the quality of service experienced by mobile phone users across the country.
Under the revised standard, network operators are expected to strengthen their infrastructure and manage their systems more efficiently to ensure that only a minimal number of calls fail during communication.
The new directive reflects a shift in the regulator’s focus—from expanding access to telecommunications services to ensuring that subscribers enjoy reliable and high-quality network performance.
As part of the new framework, telecom providers will be required to properly provision their networks and maintain them to meet the stricter requirement.
Operators who fail to meet the benchmark, particularly in areas where persistent call quality problems are identified, could face sanctions from the regulator.
However, the NCA indicated that enforcement will follow a structured approach. Companies will first be notified of any deficiencies and given the opportunity to address them before penalties are applied.
The Director-General of the NCA, Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, disclosed this during an interview with Accra-based Channel One TV.
“The shift now is from access to quality of the experience. In the past, the requirement was that about 3% of the millions of minutes of calls could drop, and it was acceptable under the regulatory requirement. We have reduced it to 1%, meaning the standard is now more stringent,” he said.
He further explained that the regulator may conduct repeated network tests in particular locations over several days to confirm whether poor call quality is a recurring issue.
According to him, if operators fail to resolve the identified problems after being notified, the NCA will apply the sanctions outlined in their operating licences.
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