NCA Warns Telcos of Sanctions Over Poor Call Quality

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has issued a stern warning to telecommunications companies operating in Ghana, cautioning them to improve their call quality or face sanctions. Ing. Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, Director-General of the NCA, announced that the regulator has tightened its call quality requirements, reducing the allowable call drop rate from 3% to 1%.

Speaking in an interview with the media, Ing. Fianko emphasized that the NCA’s primary focus is on ensuring that consumers receive a high-quality service, rather than simply accessing a network. “The shift now is from access to quality of the experience,” he said.

“In the past, the requirement was that about 3% of the millions of minutes of calls could drop, and it was okay by the regulatory requirement. We have reduced it to 1%. Meaning that it is more stringent now.”

The NCA’s new approach prioritizes protecting consumers by working with telcos to improve call quality before imposing financial penalties. Ing. Fianko explained that the regulator will first issue a notice to cure, giving the telco an opportunity to address the issue. “Our first action is not to fine, our first action is to bring it to your attention and give you time to remedy,” he said.

However, if a network repeatedly fails to meet the required standards in a given location, sanctions will follow. “If we go back to the location and, after some decisions by the Electronic Communication Tribunal, for sanctioning purposes, we test in one location for three days. We will take the same measurements so that if you fail, it means that it’s not just a snapshot, it’s a consistent issue in that locality,” Ing. Fianko warned.

The NCA has the power to impose fines on telcos that fail to meet the required standards, with the fines payable to the regulator. However, Ing. Fianko emphasized that the NCA’s primary goal is to ensure that consumers receive a high-quality service, rather than generating revenue from fines. “If we fine them, the money comes to us, but it doesn’t help the consumer. So, we will first give notice to cure, but if you fail again in the same location, then we will issue a fine,” he said.

The NCA’s move is expected to improve the overall quality of telecommunications services in Ghana, providing consumers with a better experience and driving growth in the sector.