The National Communications Authority of Ghana (NCA) has approved SpaceX Starlink GH LTD, the local subsidiary of the American company, to provide high-speed satellite internet services in the country. In a statement released on April 25, the regulator announced that administrative procedures for the issuance of the operating license are underway and expected to be completed soon.
“The approval of the application follows the policy approval of the satellite licensing framework in Ghana by the Ministry of Communications and Digitalization,” stated the Ghanaian communications regulator in its release.
The process was expedited following disruptions in internet service a few weeks ago due to incidents involving various undersea fiber optic cables. Licensing satellite telecom service operators is part of the measures implemented by the NCA to prevent such situations in the future and ensure good service quality to consumers. Also, consumers have shown increasing interest in Starlink services. In December 2023, the regulator had to warn against the illegal provision and use of Starlink services.
Starlink's entry into the Ghanaian telecom market is expected to bolster competition and improve internet adoption in the country. The company will be able to provide its services directly to consumers through its kit or lease its capacities to telecom operators and internet service providers to fill coverage gaps. It plans to commence commercial operations in Ghana starting from the third quarter of 2024.
Ghana had 22.6 million subscribers to mobile internet services with a penetration rate of 70.8% in the first quarter of 2023, according to the latest available statistics from the NCA. There were also about 105,800 subscribers to fixed internet services.
Lebara Group is now bringing its affordable and reliable mobile services to Africa, starting with Ni...
• Maritime sector faces renewed risks amid military tensions in the Middle East• Blockade fears at S...
• Gates Foundation commits $1.6 billion over five years to Gavi.• Bill Gates warns of rising ch...
In a West African financial landscape marked by tighter regulation of the fintech sector, digital fi...
Transport and food prices have been climbing steadily across Africa in recent years. In Côte d’Ivoir...
• Record drought tests Zambia's dependence on hydropower, impacting its vital mining industry • Adoption of dedicated solar projects, such as the recent...
• The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved €25.5 million in funding to boost Mauritanian SMEs and stimulate inclusive growth.• Mauritania’s...
• Blue Gold, active in Ghana with the Bogoso project, looks to grow its portfolio by potentially acquiring gold projects in West Africa.• CEO Andrew...
• Bassirou Diomaye Faye denounces credit rating agencies’ methodologies as ill-suited to African contexts.• Senegal urges reforms to enable fairer...
In northern Ethiopia, in the Tigray region, lies Axum (also spelled Aksum), an ancient city that once stood at the heart of one of Africa’s most powerful...
Lake Natron, located in northern Tanzania near the Kenyan border, is one of the most extraordinary and extreme lakes in Africa. Fed primarily by the Ewaso...