Telecommunication
Infrastructure | Informatics | ICT Training and Development |
Broadcasting/Media
Telecommunication Infrastructure
Telecommunication
regulator: The National Communications Authority Act of 1996 enabled the establishment
of a corporate body known as the National Communications Authority (NCA) to
regulate communications by wire, cable, radio, television, satellite and similar means of
technology for the orderly development and operation of efficient communication services
in Ghana. The NCA provides licenses for operation of communication
services, and any application for a radio frequency also has to be made to the Authority.
Telecommunication operator:
Ghana Telecom was incorporated in June 1995 as a successor to the telecommunications
division of Ghana Posts and Telecommunications Corporation (GPTC). As part of a reform
program, Telkom Malaysia was given a strategic equity stake of 30% and full management
control of Ghana Telecom. The US-based African Communications Group (ACG), now Westel
Telesystems, has been licensed to compete with the Ghana Telecom/Telkom Malaysia venture.
A third operator is Capital Telecom.
Teledensity:
- Total: 0.75
(1999)
- Largest cities:
5.43 (1999)
- Rest of the country:
0.25 (1999)
Digital main lines: 100.00%
(1999)
Waiting list for a telephone
line:
- Total: 28,300
(1998)
- Average waiting time:
1.0 year(1998)
- Total demand (k):
172.6 (1998)
- Satisfied demand (%):
83.6 (1998)
Telephone Tariffs (1998):
| PSTN Connectiopn charge -
residential |
US$ 151 |
| PSTN Connectiopn charge -
business |
US$ 151 |
| Monthly subscription
charge - residential |
US$ 0.9 |
| Monthly subscription
charge - residential |
US$ 0.9 |
| Local call - 3 minutes |
US$ 0.08 |
Source: Word
Telecommunication Indicators 2000/2001
Public telephones: 2,000
(2000)
Public telephones per 1,000
inhabitants: 0.15 (1999)
Mobile cellular subscribers:
102,000 (2000)
Millicom Ghana, a subsidiary of
Millicom International, UK/Luxembourg, started its operation in 1991 using the ETAC
System. Millicon has a market share of about 70% of the total mobile market in the
country.
Celltel owned by
Kludjeson International started its operation in 1993 using the AMPS technology.
Scancom uses GSM
900 technology and has 15 cell sites with equipment from Ericsson. It started its
operation in 1996.
Onetouch is a
department of Ghana Telecom under preparation to provide cellular
services at a much wider scale.
Celluar subscribers as a % of
total telephone subscribers: 30.6 (1999)
Mobile cellular tariffs
(1999):
- Connection: US$ 75
- Monthly Subscription: US$ 25.0
- 3 minute local call: US$ 1.20 (peak)
and US$ 0.90 (off-peak)
Telecommunications revenue (M
US$): 170.9 (1999)
Telecommunications investment (M
US$): 367.4 (1999)
Telecommunications investment as
a % of revenue: 214.9 (1999)
Telecom equipment exports (M
US$): na
Telecom equipment imports (M
US$): 60.7
Telecentres: na
Facsimiles: 5,000 (1998)
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Informatics
The Ghana National
Committee on Internet Connectivity (GNCIC) was formed in February 1996 to
implement the InfoDev Ghana Project with support and sponsorship from UNESCO, ITU, UNDP
and the World Bank's InfoDev Programme. The Project's objective is to promote the
development of telematics in the areas of public concern in Ghana. Ghana Workshop on
Internetworking Technology (GITW97) is the first of a
series of workshops organised by the Ghana National Committee on Internet Connectivity
(GNCIC) for Public Sector Institutions. It was one of the activities of the Infodev
Project and was sponsored by UNESCO, ITU (International Telecommunication Union), PAC
(Physics Action Council) and UNDP. The workshop was hosted by the University of Ghana
during the period of January 30, 1997 - February 15, 1997.
HealthNet Ghana:
There are two HealthNet nodes in Ghana: one in Accra, at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital,
which uses phone lines to exchange data, and the other in Navrongo, where they use the low
earth-orbiting satellite.
African Universities
Network (AAUnet): The purpose of AAUnet is to help as-yet-unconnected
universities in Africa gain a connection to the Internet. The aim is to facilitate
communications among universities and other academic
institutions in Africa, as well as with similar institutions in the rest of the world. The
ultimate goal is to become a reliable electronic forum to encourage research and active
exchange and sharing of knowledge and experiences.The type of network is TCP/IP.
Contact:
The Secretary-General
Association of African Universities
P.O. Box 5744
Accra-North, Ghana
Phone: (233-21) 774495
Fax: (233-21) 774821
Email: secgen@aau.org or sysop@aau.org
The University of Ghana was made a national Fidonet host for Ghana in June 1995. The host computer
is located in the Balme Library under the sponsorship of the PADIS/IDRC CABECA (Capacity
Building in Electronic Communication for Africa) project. The system was originally
installed in September 1994 as a local host for the University of Ghana. As a national
host, the University is responsible for maintaining and sustaining connectivity with nodal
points (i.e. the user community in Ghana) and the outside world.
There are three other major
tertiary institutions in Ghana which currently connect via dial-up links to the University
of Ghana: the University of Science and Technology (Kumasi), the University of
Development Studies, and the University College of Education.
The GHASTINET
project under the National Science and Technology Library and Information Centre (NASTLIC)
of the Council
for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) serves
several important sectors of the economy. CSIR's main objective is to
link up researchers to various sources of information, bringing collaborators and
researchers together, as well as linking the universities and other associations both home
and abroad.
Computer per 100
inhabitants: 0.25 (1999)
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ICT Training and Development
The Ghana
Telecommunications Training Centre (GTTC) has been renovated and upgraded following an IDA loan of US$ 1.2 million in
1989, and it entered into a collaborative agreement
with the University of Science and Technology (UST), now called Kwame Nkrumah University
of Science and Technology (KNUST), in Kumasi for the purposes of exchange of personnel,
and maximisation of the use of scarce resources.
Every year the Centre trains more
than 2,500 trainees mostly from Ghana Telecom through its long and short term courses and
seminars, averaging more than 3,500 trainee-weeks a year.
The Centre also provides
excellent facilities for hosting Seminars and International Conferences. Among the excellent facilities are the Computer-based Multimedia Learning Centre
(CMLC) and an AudioVisual Centre, comprised of a studio, micro-teaching rooms and film
editing centre. The Centre produces its video films and documentaries for training back-up
and enhancement.
The Computer Science Department of the University of Ghana has a programme for regular students
leading to a B.Sc. degree in computer science.
Ghana Computer Literacy & Distance Learning Project [GhaCLAD]
is a Special Project of the Voluntary
Workcamps Association of Ghana in collaboration with Projectscope Inc. of Boston, USA. The
objectives of GhaCLAD are as follows:
- To explore means of utilising
computers, telecommunications, audio/visual media and information technology to enhance
primary, secondary, tertiary, vocational, professional development and continuing adult
education in Ghana;
- To strengthen the capacity of
grassroots organisations, low income communities and local schools to initiate, choose,
plan and manage their own self-help projects through information technology and
telecommunications;
- To create a demonstration effect on
public opinion in terms of what information technology, electronic networking and
community-based computing can offer for national and international development;
- To increase awareness of how the
computer and electronic connectivity can reorient youth groups toward the economy and
labor market of the 21st century; and
- To foster opportunities for youth
from all the continents to engage in "service learning" providing computer
literacy instruction to Ghanaian participants and technical assistance to the Project as
they learn about Ghanaian culture and society.
CGA Consultants in Business Solutions is a private company that provides clients with a total business solution
through the provision of systems analysis, design, software, implementation, consultancy,
and training. CGA
commenced operations in the region with its Abidjan office in 1982. Due to the demand for
services throughout West Africa, it has expanded its operations and now has offices in
Ghana, Gambia, and Senegal.
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Broadcasting/Media
The Ghana Broadcasting
Corporation (GBC) was established with the objective of
providing Radio and Television Broadcasting services for general reception in Ghana and
other parts of the world.
RADIO NETWORKS
GBC radio (now renamed GAR)
operates two national networks, Radio One and Radio Two.
- Radio One is a Ghanaian language
network and broadcasts in six main languages: Akan, Ga, Ewe, Dagbani, Hausa and Nzema.
- Radio Two broadcasts exclusively in
English and carries commercials, advertisements, promotions and sponsored programmes.
A recent development in GBC's
outreach plans is the introduction of FM Stations to eleven stations throughout Ghana.
They are used among others to transmit educational programmes. By the beginning of 2001,
there were more than 40 FM radio staions in Ghana.
TELEVISION TRANSMISSION
GBC has eleven TV transmitter
Stations in the country, and transposers have been installed in the fringe, shadow and
pocket areas to enhance reception.
SATELLITE TRANSMISSION
Satellite rebroadcast was
introduced into the GBC network in 1990, CNN programmes are received and re-transmitted to
viewers by a UHF transmitter sited at Adjangote in the Greater Accra Region.
Following the success story with
CNN, GBC now has agreements with CFI, Deutsche Welle to receive and retransmit programmes
to Ghanaian viewers.
The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation
recently signed a three-year agreement with WORLDNET, the TV series of the US Information
Agency (USIA) in Accra. Through the International Broadcasting Bureau, USIA will
provide one TVR Satellite Antenna System, with a feedhorn and one integrated receiver and
will rebroadcast programmes supplied by WORLDNET to Ghanaian TV viewers.
Metro TV, a
joint venture between Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and Media TV with 50/50 share
holding, is a weekend entertainment TV station transmitting in Accra and Tema currently.
It plans to extend its coverage to Kumasi and Takoradi.
TV3 Network Limited,
a joint venture between local investors (30%) and Gama Media International (70%) which is
a Malaysian Investment Group, started its transmission in 1997, and it currently covers
Greater Accra, Eastern and Central regions.
Multichoice Satellite
System, a joint venture with local and South African shareholders, is mainly
based in Accra and Kumasi, and provides subscribers with a decoder and access to another 5
channels. These include CNN, Music TV, Supersports, Movie Channel, BBC World Service, Mnet
Channels and BOP TV. Multichoice has 15,000 subscribers which include hotel and tourist
destinations, and the subscription fees are: decoder for about 200,000 cedis (approx. US$
91.00), and a monthly subscription of 40,000 cedies (approx. US$ 18.50).
Audience Research Figures as of
1997:
- No. of Television Sets: 1,900,000
- No. of Radio Sets: 12,500,000
- Size of the Radio Audience:
l3,400,000
- Size of the Television Audience:
9,600,000
Radios per
100 inhabitants: 68.10 (1997)
Television
receivers per 100 inhabitants: 11.5 (1999)
Cable TV
subscribers: na
Home
satellite dishes/antennas:15,000 subscribers
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