MTN Unhappy Over Persistent Fibre Cuts

Mobile Telecommunication giant, (MTN) has expressed displeasure about the persistent cuts of its optical fibre across the country.

More than 100 optical fibres of MTN are cut in a month, according to the operators, calling for serious concerted efforts to end the menace.

The telecom company made this known at an engagement with the media and other stakeholders in Accra, to present its service delivery plan for 2019, as well as its performance in 2018.

Statistics available indicates that road and drain construction are responsible for 49 per cent of the cuts, while private developers cause 37 per cent of the problem.

Works undertaken by the Power Distribution Services, Ghana Water Company Limited and the Ghana Railway Company Limited account for seven per cent of the destruction; likewise works for mining, among others.

Optical fibre is used by telecom companies to transmit telephone signals, internet communication and cable television signals.

MTN plans to invest $160 dollars in Network Technology and Information Technology systems to drive its endeavour to celebrate the customer with superior access.

Experts say because of its lower attenuation and interference, it is preferred over copper wire in long-distance, high demand applications. It has much lower levels of loss in the transmission medium and has thus enabled much higher data rates to be accommodated.

Optical Fibre is used for major telecoms backbone infrastructure, Ethernet systems, broadband distribution and general data networking.

Their replacement reportedly cost the telecom companies millions of cedis.

Mr Kenneth Ashigbey, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana chamber of Telecommunications, said the fibre cuts menace was very worrying, therefore, the Chamber was working with the National Communications Authority and other stakeholders to deal with it.

The telecom industry, he said, held a great promise for leapfrogging Ghana’ socio-economic development and should, therefore, be supported with favourable tax regimes to grow.

Meanwhile MTN in a statement yesterday apologized for disruptions being experienced in its network.

The company says the development is as a result of multiple fibre cuts it has endured in five locations across the country.

Many customers of the network have taken to social media to express their displeasure as they are unable to make or receive calls.

“MTN Ghana wishes to apologize for the network challenges being experienced by a cross section of subscribers across the country. The disruption in service is as a result of multiple fibre cuts in 5 locations on two separate routes including our additional protection on two other third party fibre.

“Our engineers are working hard to repair the cuts. Subscribes will be notified as soon as it is resolved. MTN sincerely apologizes once again for the inconvenience”.