MTN leads Ghana`s 3.5G technology market

Ghana's telecommunications industry giant, MTN Ghana, announced that the company is the leading market player in the country's 3.5G technology market.

To further consolidate its position on the Ghanaian market, MTN Ghana has rolled out the widest and best 3.5G technology connections in Accra and Tema, both in the Greater Accra Region, and Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.

Plans are also afoot to aggressively expand and extend the 3.5G technology to all major cities, as well as commercial towns across the length and breadth of the country.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO), MTN Ghana, Mr. Brett Goshen, made this known at the commercial launch of MTN's 3.5G technology in Accra. Mr. Goshen added, “we are launching our 3.5G network with more than 7 times the number of 3.5G base stations than the next competitor,” which is Zain Communications.

Prior to the commercial launch, the 3.5G technology was piloted for three months, during which period the company added more 3G base stations, otherwise known as Universal Mobile Telecommunication Systems (UMTS), onto its existing 2G infrastructure, to ensure and enhance quality service from the beginning.

He mentioned that the 3.5G network customers would enjoy services including high speed data, broadband internet connectivity on phone and on laptops, through a portable modem, MTN loaded-a portal, where subscribers could download news, sports, music among other entertainment contents.

The Chief Marketing Officer, MTN Ghana, Mr. George Andah, disclosed that for persons to enjoy the 3.5G services, unless they use the 3.5G compatible handsets, adding that the service would enable subscribers have access to free call waiting, and call conferencing, except MTN zone.

He further disclosed that to connect to the service, one needed to dial 1333 on his/her 3.5G phone, and follow the voice prompts, stressing that MTN would mount a stand at the Accra Mall area, to help subscribers get connected to the service.

The Minister of Communications, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, who performed the launch dubbed “Go Beyond”, appealed to telecomm service providers in the country, to improve the quality of their services, so as to boost customer loyalty.

He observed that Ghanaians had been used to voice and text messaging services on their phones, and praised MTN for introducing the 3.5G technology to give the consumer a wider range of services. Mr. Iddrisu was emphatic that the government would take advantage of the 3.5G technology, to improve on e-governance and communication between the government and the citizens.