The National Communication Authority (NCA) will soon announce a sixth mobile phone network operator in the mobile telephony sector as part of efforts to deepen the telecom sector.
The NCA says its decision to issue a license to a sixth mobile operator is in pursuance of the Authority's policy of assuring vibrant competition, accelerated attainment of universal access, market order and diversity of product as well as service offerings at competitive and affordable prices.
Currently there are four national mobile cellular networks in operating in the country and they include MTN, Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of tiGo, Onetouch Ghana Limited operators of Onetouch, Kasapa Telecom operators of Kasapa with the Western Telecommunication Systems (Westel) as the only operator which has been authorised but is yet to start mobile services.
The NCA has projected mid¬ June this year to complete all proceedings for the issuance of the licence to the sixth operator.
As a result, 11 telecom companies have been short-listed to participate in a comparative selection process also known as a 'beauty contest.'
They include Afritel Communications Limited, Awesomedia Limited, BenchMac PR & Business Consult, Express Mobile Communications Limited, Faith Telecom Limited and Global Trade Imex Limited.
The rest are Glo Mobile Ghana Limited, TechnoEdge Ghana Limited, Teylium Telecom International, TransAtlantic Industries Limited and Warid Telecom International, LLC.
Information available to B&FT indicates that the prospective winner of the licence could acquire, at the prevailing rate, 3G licence and its associated frequency, which is subject to meeting minimum access-line penetration threshold of 1% and attain national coverage with infrastructure presence in all the 10 regional capitals.
Source: MJFM
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