Accra, Nov. 13, GNA- Expresso Telecom, a mobile telecommunication service provider, has formally launched its services in Ghana after acquiring the assets of Kasapa Network.

The Dubai-based Expresso Telecom focuses on operating CDMA mobile networks across West Africa, having acquired Intercellular in Nigeria and Kasapa in Ghana, as well as new licences in Mauritania and Senegal. Currently, Kasapa serves around 400,000 customers, and is the fourth mobile operator behind MTN, Tigo and Vodafone.

Speaking at the launch, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Communication, lauded the growth in mobile telephony with a penetration rate of 74 per cent, attributing the success to strong oversight and regulatory environment.

"Ghana's mobile telecommunication industry has simply exploded and is thriving due to the continuous development of the country, a fast growing customer base and a competitive array of competent providers", he said. At the end of 2009, there are over 15.3 million subscribers compared to 11.5 million a year before.

He urged Expresso Telecom to go beyond provision of voices to take advantage of data services and offer enviable customer service as well as product propositions that would give best customer experience. On the Consolidated International Gateway Project, Mr Iddrisu said government had no intention of encroaching on the privacy of individuals with the implementation aimed at monitoring all in-bound international calls.

He said the Project, which related to the management of international telephone traffic termination in the country, aimed at checking fraud in the operations of the international gateway system. Mr Iddrisu said it would help eliminate fraud and enhance both operator and revenue generation potential in the domestic and international telecom market place.

Mr. Isham Ayub, Chief Executive Officer of Expresso, said the company had undertaken a network upgrade across the country to enhance coverage and to attract more subscribers.

He said Expresso was happy to be part of the exponential growth of telecommunications in Africa and also interested in bringing global telecommunications to Ghana.

According to him, Expresso was partnering with RLG to offer customers with a wide variety of good affordable quality mobile phones, fixed wireless phones, modems and computers to enable customers fulfill their potentials. "Utilising RLG's 6,000 POS strong network, we will expand our distribution so that our product will be in easy reach of our customers", he added.

Mr. Ayub noted that Expresso was now the smallest player in the telecommunication market adding that they had flexibility to effect change to lead the telecom market towards offering a more customer oriented service with the customers at the forefront. "Our strategy is not to force customers switch from their existing network but through dual Sim phones, we will give customers a wider choice of services where they can enjoy the best of both GSM and CDMA technology platforms", he said.

Mr Roland Agambire, Chief Executive Officer of RLG Communication, said communication through a mobile telephony had become a way of life and offered an immense opportunity to empower the youth through job creation in mobile phone technology and other electronic equipment such as computers and laptops.

"We at RLG Communications are highly motivated by this trend and have effectively collaborated with Expresso Telecom to empower the youth through skills training and job creation aimed at tackling unemployment and creating wealth for the youth of this country", he said. 13 Nov. 10