Ghana’s broadband capacity to triple to 11 million by 2020

GSMA says digital migration will free spectrum previously consumed by analogue TV. The spectrum freed by migration to digital TV by 2015 would increase Ghana’s mobile broadband capacity threefold, leading to some 11 million broadband connections in the country by 2020.

Speaking during the GSMA and Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications Accra workshop on broadband service expansion in Ghana Lyons said the freed spectrum will yield to digital dividend for mobile broadband operators, TV broadcasters and users in Ghana.

According to him, the digital TV would broadcast 22 Standard Definition channels or four High Definition (HD) channels on an 8Mhz frequency instead of one analogue channel broadcast currently.

This would triple Ghana’s broadband capacity and lead to some 11 million mobile broadband connections by 2020, hence access to quality and affordable mobile broadband services in the country.

Lyons added that freed spectrum capacity would lead to a productive ICT sector expected to create nearly 1 million jobs as well as foster LTE uptake, which would in turn encourage innovation in education, health and e-governance.

The tripled broadband capacity would also increase government revenue by GHC200million (US $ 102,000,000) per year in additional taxes as well increase the country’s GDP by GHS1.5 billion (US $ 770,000,000) per annum by 2020. If the spectrum is not freed by 2015, Lyons expects Ghana to have only 7 million mobile broadband connections by 2020.

Joshua Peprah, Director of Regulatory Administration at National Communication Authority (NCA), however says the authority is sure to complete the digital shift by 2014.

Subsidised digital decoders for those unable to replace their analogue TV sets are also in plans, Peprah said.

The government is also looking at having the decoders manufactured locally.