Vodafone Ghana Secures 4G Licence

Vodafone Ghana has officially reached an agreement with the National Communications Authority (NCA) for the purchase of one slot of the 2×5MHz frequency spectrum in the 800MHz band for mobile services.

The slot, purchased at the cost of US$30 million, was awarded to Vodafone following successful financial negotiations with the NCA, in line with the Authority’s published programme for the bid process. The award paves the way for Vodafone to operate an LTE 4G spectrum frequency to enhance the user experience for its customers.

This follows successful financial negotiations, the National Communications Authority (NCA) announced in a statement.

These processes began in September, 2018 when the NCA published a Request for Applications (RFA) and made available three lots of 2x5MHz in the 800MHz band.

Two (2) companies submitted applications, with Vodafone emerging as the only successful applicant.

Commenting, Yolanda Cuba, Chief Executive of Vodafone Ghana, said: “We are excited that after three years of persistent constructive engagement with the regulator and policymakers, we now have the opportunity to operate an LTE 4G licence in Ghana. We are happy that our customers will finally experience faster data speed starting next year. Vodafone is committed to continuously work with the regulator to promote digital inclusion in the country, for which the 4G spectrum will play a critical role. It will also enable Vodafone to work with the government on its agenda of digitising Ghana’s economy.

“I would like to thank our shareholders – the government of Ghana which has 30 per cent shares, and Vodafone Group with 70 per cent shares in Vodafone Ghana – for their commitment to our operations and their support in our quest to deploy 4G in Ghana. With such a strong partnership between our shareholders, Vodafone Ghana is optimistic about a great future for our customers and the country”.

Vodafone believes that the access to 4G spectrum that it has now will contribute to its vision of igniting Ghana’s digital revolution. The company is set to commence an active technical process in the coming weeks to align its infrastructure to deliver 4G to its customer base early next year. The licence also highlights a positive end to the year for Vodafone Group, which is celebrating a decade of existence in Ghana’s telecoms industry.