Accra, March 2, GNA - Ghana Telecommunications Company, the lead telecommunications platform, had outlined a strategic programme to promote the growth of Internet usage in the country.

These include the introduction of the 15-number code for dial-up Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and a structured expansion of a fibre-optic cable network to provide broadband Internet access.

Mr Arild Hustad, GT Senior General Manager in charge of Fixed Network Services, announced this over the weekend at the Monthly Forum of Internet Caf=E9 Operators Association of Ghana (ICOAGH) in Accra. He said the 15-number code was designed to ensure that dial-up Internet users were automatically billed at the discounted rates to make the service affordable to Ghanaians and urged ICOAGH to advise its members and all Internet subscribers to insist that their ISPs adopt the 15-number code.

"We have invested in this costly technology as a comprehensive scheme to bring down the cost of Internet use; but unless the ISPs install the 15-number code you cannot get the benefits. And there is no cost burden involved in switching to this dial-up code; it is meant to improve efficiency of the system," he said.

Mr Hustad urged ICOAGH to impress upon ISPs to establish local PoPs (Internet E-mail protocols) at various urban centres outside Accra to improve Internet service delivery and affordability in those areas. Mr Joshua Peprah, Director of Regulation and Licensing at the National Communications Authority, (NCA) said improved efficiency and lower cost for Internet users was vital if Ghana were to exploit the Internet to bridge the digital divide and leapfrog its development. He commended GT for its efforts to enhance the benefits to Internet users and urged the company to organise workshops to spread awareness across the sector.

The Reverend K.O. Adarkwa, ICOAGH Chairman, expressed regret that revenue agencies and utility providers were not concerned about the numerous problems facing the operators.

"While revenue agencies, including AMA, are always pressing to collect taxes, ECG, Ghana Telecom and ISPs impose heavy bills on us but do little to enable us to provide reliable services and earn reasonable income," he said, adding that as a result many Internet cafes were closing down.