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The operator says it will deploy an additional 300 4G and 3G sites in the coming months to better serve the rapidly digitalising population
This week, Vodafone Ghana has announced plans to expand its mobile network by up to 30% by the end of October.
Vodafone says it is currently in the process of rolling out roughly 300 4G and 3G sites across the nation, with around half the work already completed. In addition, the company says it is increasing the capacity of its existing sites, aiming to meet the rapidly rising demand for data services.
“Increased access to the internet is inextricably linked to the growth and the socio-economic wellbeing of the nation,” said CEO of Vodafone Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai. “This is why we continue to invest in our network to ensure that we provide best-in-class coverage and customer service for Ghanaians in every corner of this country, leaving no one behind. We believe that by granting access to every Ghanaian, they can take advantage of digital advancement and its limitless possibilities.’’
The financial details of the network investment have not been announced.
The operator’s network expansion comes at an interesting time, with Vodafone having made clear its intention to exit the Ghanaian market for some time.
In fact, Vodafone is currently attempting to sell its 70% stake in Vodafone Ghana to African operator Telecel for an undisclosed sum, with Telecel promising to invest $500 million to boost the company’s infrastructure rollout over the coming three years.
The Ghanaian National Communications Authority (NCA), however, has been reluctant to greenlight the deal, saying they favour a larger operator to takeover the business and its critical infrastructure and blocking the sale in January this year.
“We were concerned that [Telecel] were a very small operator and didn’t have the technical and financial muscle to be able to take on the challenging environment that we have in the telecom sector here in Ghana,” said Ghana’s Communications and Digitalisation minister, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful.
Despite this initial rejection, Telecel and Vodafone are continuing to pursue the deal, reportedly re-entering negotiations with the regulator in recent weeks.
