|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has announced that the government will swiftly license satellite firms to serve as a backup for mobile network operators, following the disruptions in their services experienced since Thursday, March 14.
Speaking in Accra on Monday while updating Parliament on the situation, Mrs. Owusu-Ekuful outlined the government’s plan to address the issue.
“With regard to the use of satellite as an alternative, it is important to note that the bandwidth of a satellite backup for network operators cannot replace the capacity that has been lost due to the outage. Satellite backup for consumers is more feasible.
“However, the cost is relatively much higher than the terrestrial solutions. Immediate initiatives that the government will undertake is that we will license satellite gateway air stations, London rights, and satellite air station network. One web has already been licensed.
Also Read: “Beyoncé Told me she Loved my Vocals” – Shatta Wale
“Starlink is in the process of being licensed, and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana. We must also invest in operationalizing RASCOM, the regional African satellite company instead of each company of each country going it alone.”
She emphasized the need for all network operators to arrange and implement alternative routes to restore full services, while also encouraging organizations and enterprises to host their content, databases, applications, and services in at least 2 tier 3 or 4 data centers in different locations.
Additionally, public organizations were recommended to utilize the National Data Center as a backup disaster recovery alternative.
The announcement comes after the National Communications Authority (NCA) issued a warning in December last year against the use and sale of Starlink internet services, declaring its operations illegal.
The NCA confirmed that it had neither licensed Starlink nor approved any of its equipment for use within the country.
Starlink, a satellite internet service provided by SpaceX, aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access to underserved areas around the world, including Ghana.
The NCA’s statement stated, “The attention of the National Communications Authority (NCA) has been drawn to the alleged sale of Starlink equipment and its operations in Ghana. We wish to inform the general public that, the NCA has neither licensed the operations of Starlink in Ghana nor type-approved any of their equipment.”
