Ghana - Fixed Broadband, Digital Economy and Digital Media - Statistics and Analyses

Ghana - Fixed Broadband, Digital Economy and Digital Media - Statistics and Analyses

Ghana has a highly competitive internet market, with more than 140 licensed ISPs although most subscribers are customers of only a few players. It was among the first countries in Africa to be connected to the internet, though subscriber growth in the sector was for many years held back by the poor condition of the national fixed-line network and by the high cost of connectivity. The situation improved following the introduction of fixed-wireless and mobile broadband technologies such as 3G, HSPA, WiMAX and LTE. The arrival of two international fibre links in 2012 and 2013 also led to a dramatic fall in the cost of international bandwidth, and so to the price of retail access.

The government has also invested in building extensive fibre infrastructure in the Eastern and Western Corridors. The re-privatised national carrier, now branded as Vodafone Ghana, has also been more effective in driving the broadband market by expanding its retail and wholesale offerings.



Key developments:



Vodafone launches FttP-based broadband services; Microsoft and SpectraLink Wireless trial white spaces broadband; fifth international submarine fibre optic cable comes on stream; WHO-sponsored eHealth system developments; fibre network for Eastern Corridor completed; bandwidth cost plummets to a tenth of the price in 2007; report update includes the regulator's market data to February 2017, telcos' operating data to Q4 2016, recent market developments.



Companies mentioned in this report:



Vodafone Ghana (Ghana Telecom), Expresso Telecom, Globacom, Network Computer Systems (NCS), InternetGhana, Africa Online, Busy Internet, Linkserve, IDN, Infinite Stream Ghana, Electricity Corporation of Ghana (ECG), Cactel Communications, Main One, O3b Networks, VoltaCom, Internet Solutions, Phase3 Telecom.