Goverment freezes issuance of mobile telecom licenses

The Government has put a freeze on the issuance of additional licenses for mobile telecom companies willing to operate in Ghana.

This is because all available space on the GSM spectrum for mobile operators has been exhausted.

But with plans to migrate Ghana's television network from analogue to digital in 2013, Communications Minister, Haruna Iddrissu believes space will be freed on the spectrum.

Currently Ghana has 6 mobile operators providing telecom services on the GSM platform.

Although other investors are willing to enter the Ghana market, Haruna Iddrissu said there could be an opening for more mobile telecom providers to be licensed on the GSM network after the migration.

“I know that in Ghana we've exhausted our GSM spectrum and it is my view that we have saturated the mobile market in terms of GSM space.

“There is none available as at date so if there is any investor interested in having another mobile license on a GSM spectrum, we will not as a country be able to support such an investor.

“As regrettable as it is, I trust that through a successful migration process we will benefit from some spectrum dividend which will make space available not only for GSM mobile license but even for radio and televisions".

He said new licences will be issued to all television operators in the country beginning 2011.

Joy Business/Ghana