NCA outlines measures to deal with future internet blackouts

Director of the National Communications Authority (NCA), Joseph Anokye, has addressed the recent internet blackout that affected Ghana and other African countries.

The cause of the outage remains speculative even as experts set out to examine the undersea cables.

In a meet-the-press event on March 24, 2024, Joseph Anokye said:

"I think we will know best once the ships arrive. The cable landing operators do have tools that they can use remotely to verify connectivity. They have done that.

"That only established the fact that there's no contagious flow of traffic. But it cannot tell you exactly what happened. There've been reports. But I haven't seen any substantive data that points to a specific issue," he said.

In response to the blackout, Anokye revealed that telecommunications company Telecel has communicated compensation plans to its customers, and he expressed hope that other Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) will follow suit.

He added that the NCA will intervene to ensure compliance.

"I believe that Telecel has communicated to their customers that they'll be receiving compensation.

"Hopefully, the other MNOs will follow suit. We will intervene and make sure that is done. But I noticed that Telecel has sent notices to their subscribers for five years," he said.

Looking ahead, Anokye outlined strategic measures to prevent future disruptions. The NCA has directed MNOs to connect to a new cable provider in the sub-region, not currently landing in Ghana.

In 2023, the NCA licensed a fifth cable landing operator, Bayobab, which operates the 2Africa cable with a design capacity of 180Tbps—approximately 4.5 times the combined capacity of existing cables.

The 2Africa cable, expected to be operational by the fourth quarter of 2024 or sooner, will be the only cable encircling the African continent, offering geographical diversity and being distanced from the existing cables in the high seas.

Additionally, the NCA has expanded its satellite licencing portfolio to include recent broadband satellite services, providing alternative connectivity for domestic and enterprise users.

Anokye emphasised the NCA's commitment to working with regulators and the industry in the sub-region to extend inter-country terrestrial fibre and enhance the resilience of internet connectivity. The NCA pledges to continue proactive collaboration with the industry to ensure stable internet data services in Ghana.

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