Industry News Page | Telecoms Chamber

APPOLONIA CITY PARTNERS ATC GHANA TO AMPLIFY GHANA’S COMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE

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Appolonia City has partnered with ATC Ghana, a subsidiary of American Tower Corporation, to deploy cell towers within Appolonia City’s development in Greater Accra. The first cell tower has already been installed, enhancing connections for current residents and businesses at Appolonia City.

“We continue to see more companies, both local and international, investing in Appolonia City,” Appolonia City CEO Bright Owusu-Amofah said of the partnership. “American Tower’s wireless infrastructure is world renowned, and we are committed to providing world-class connectivity to our residents and businesses.”
Gordon Xatse, Head of Sales and Marketing of ATC Ghana, said: “It has been a pleasure working with Rendeavour on the Appolonia City project, which is among the best planned sub-urban developments in Africa. Following the successful installation of our first telecommunications site at Appolonia City, we look forward to expanding our partnership with Rendeavour, and continuing to deliver world-class service to our mutual customers and communities.”

Rendeavour is building seven new cities on 12,000 hectares in five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Rendeavour cities provide homes, offices, schools, healthcare facilities and industrial parks within a well-planned urban environment, along with the infrastructure – roads, power, water and ICT – that form the foundation for the continent’s future growth.

Appolonia City has forged a number of strategic partnerships recently, with entities such as the Association of Ghana Industries, Comland Company Limited and now ATC Ghana. In 2018, Appolonia City was named “The Most Promising Company of the Year” at the Ghana Business Awards and received the “Best Member Award 2018” from the American Chamber of Commerce.

Source: ITNewsAfrica

A UNIFIED LICENSE REGIME ENCOURAGES INNOVATIVE MARKET GROWTH

[caption id="attachment_5263" align="alignnone" width="300"]H.E The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia H.E The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia[/caption]

The Vice President of the Republic, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has underscored the importance of Ghana’s telecommunications sector undergoing a unified license regime - an agenda the Vice President refers to as the way forward to ensure alignment with our Telecoms Policy.

He made this statement during his keynote address to participants at an Industry breakfast meeting organized by the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications under the theme: Leveraging effective use and distribution of Spectrum in Ghana for National Development at the Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra.

Outlining how Ghana’s National Telecom Policy created in 2005 was to adopt a neutral approach to regulation of the communications sector, the Vice President said “in practice the current licensing framework consists of a number of different service-specific license categories, which requires 17 different forms of permission to provide communications services to Ghanaians, Let us use this meeting to identify the way forward in ensuring alignment with section 2.1 of the above policy which statesLicensing and regulation shall be technologically neutral to encourage economically efficient and innovative market development”.

The Vice President also admonished for flexibility with regards to regulatory models in providing certainty in licensing. This he believes would reduce cost on service providers.

He said, “A finite roadmap is vital in supporting our market players and allowing flexibility, minimizing distortions from historic regulatory models, providing certainty in licensing, reducing compliance costs and allowing licensees deploy the most efficient and cost-effective network technologies”.

To that end, the Vice President said his government is willing to partner the industry and all key stakeholders, to consolidate efforts to leverage ICT for National development

[caption id="attachment_5262" align="alignnone" width="300"]Ms. Mitwa Ng'ambi, CEO of AirtelTigo speaking at the event Ms. Mitwa Ng'ambi, CEO of AirtelTigo speaking at the event[/caption]

through the elimination of bottlenecks in the distribution of spectrum.

Chief Executive of AirtelTigo, Mrs. Mitwa Keamba Ng’ambi in her welcome address reiterated the telecoms industry’s commitment in supporting the efforts of H.E The President’s vision of a Ghana Beyond Aid.

“I’d like to assure Your Excellency that we as Mobile Network Operators in the industry, see ourselves as partners to you on the developmental agenda for this country. Therefore, when we raise concerns and recommendations as an industry, we do so in good faith, in hope that we can together continue to drive the industry forward and create history in Ghana. We commit to supporting your efforts to achieving H.E The President’s drive of a Ghana Beyond Aid using the Telecommunications industry as a catalyst and the rails on which other sectors will ride. ”

The Breakfast meeting brought together senior government officials, Parliament, NCA, GSMA, Coleago, Ministry of Finance, and Ghana Revenue Authority, members of the Chamber, some senior editors and experts from the telecoms sector.

The event was in support of government’s vision to leverage ICT for national economic development and the drive towards a Ghana Beyond Aid.

[caption id="attachment_5264" align="alignnone" width="300"]A group photograph with H.E The Vice President Dr. Bawumia and participants at the event A group photograph with H.E The Vice President Dr. Bawumia and participants at the event[/caption]

Source: Chamber News Desk

MTN BUSINESS PARTNERS INVEST IN AFRICA TO GROW SMEs

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Ghana’s leading telecommunications provider of business connectivity solutions, MTN Business has together, partnered with Invest in Africa (IIA) to provide custom-made ICT solutions to Small and Medium-Scale Enterprises (SMEs) in Ghana.

In the partnership, MTN Business will provide services that will help SMEs optimise their productivity to enable them to grow and expand their businesses.

IIA which is not a profit making organisation is as well committed to addressing the challenges of identifying credible local suppliers, developing local content and driving cross-sector growth across the economy.

The Country Director of IIA, Mr Clarence Nartey disclosed that the organisation, in partnership with MTN Business, has a Pan-African mobile telecommunications powerhouse and local market leader whose commitment to providing tailor-made enterprise solutions will give a big boost to the SMEs.

In addition, the IIA also intends to tap into MTN Business’ suite of ICT solutions to improve the organisational efficiency and productivity as well as ensure that the IIA flagship online marketplace platform, the African Partner Pool (APP), is technologically enhanced for the benefit of all of its buyers and suppliers.

He said, “IIA plans to provide $500 million worth of business to Ghanaian SMEs, and in the process contribute to supporting 100,000 jobs by 2022.”

The General Manager of MTN Enterprise Business, Mr Samuel Addo, reiterated as well that by partnering IIA, MTN is living up to its overriding mission to be a vehicle for Ghana’s economic growth and development.

“MTN’s world-class telecommunications products and services, as well as innovative and sustainable corporate social responsibility initiatives, are all contributing to the realization of Ghana’s strong development potential. This partnership is our way of helping SMEs grow and play their role in the nation’s development,” he emphasised.

Source: Ghanaian Times

VODAFONE GHANA DONATES TOWARDS FARMERS’ DAY

[caption id="attachment_5252" align="alignnone" width="300"]Vodafone Ghana donated packages including GHC20,000 for the organisation of this year's Farmers' Day Vodafone Ghana donated packages including GHC20,000 for the organisation of this year's Farmers' Day[/caption]

Telecommunications giant, Vodafone Ghana has donated cash and products worth GHC40,000 to the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) towards this year’s National Farmers’ Day event which takes place on Friday, December 7.

The package includes GHC20,000 for the organisation of this year’s event, Vodafone souvenirs, Vodafone Farmers’ Club SIMs with 12 months airtime and data as well as free access to farmers’ helpline and useful information on crop and agric for all the Regional and National winners.

Additionally, the telco has announced a unique package of GHC10,000 cash, a Vodafone tablet, VIP access to Farmers’ Club with extra airtime and data for the Best National Female Farmer, in line with its continuous commitment to empowering females in agriculture.

Speaking to a cross-section of the media during the presentation, Director of Enterprise Business Unit (EBU) at Vodafone Ghana, Angela Mensah-Poku said, ‘’Vodafone is excited to join in the celebration of our national heroes and heroines within the agricultural sector. We are committed to driving innovation in agriculture whilst bridging the gap between farmers and critical farming information. Through our Farmers’ Club initiative, we have been connecting farms, agribusinesses and rural communities to drive productivity, profitability and innovation. This initiative provides farmers with access to relevant information on improved farming practices, crop information, prices of commodities and expert advice, in their preferred language.’’

‘’In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, we will from next year, reward and celebrate farmers who among other things use innovative and new technology in their operations. The category, to be titled “National Digital Farmer of the Year”, will encourage and drive innovation within the sector,’’ she added.

The 34th edition of the National Farmers Day celebration will be held in Tamale, Northern Region.

Source:Ghanaweb