Takoradi Feb.12 - GNA - The Management of Ghana Telecom is to introduce pre-pay phone system this year as part of the Company's expansion programme.

Mr Joseph Kwesi Kyei, Western Regional Commercial Manager of the Company told the press after a float to increase public awareness of its mobile services in Takoradi on Saturday.

He said the pre-pay system would check high bill defaulting rate by customers and put a stop to complainants about bills. Mr Kyei said an unspecified number of customers, including communication and private individuals in the region owe the company billions of cedis in bills.

He said some of the communication centres that have default in the payment of bills have shut down and have set up new businesses using facilities of private telecommunication companies.

Mr Kyei said the management of Ghana Telecom is taking legal steps to retrieve money owed the company.

Mr Kyei said the company is opening more payment points throughout the country to facilitate the payment of bills, adding that customers could settle their bills at the Ecobank and the Merchant Bank. He said the company intends to create 750,000 new mobile telephone lines throughout the country this year.

Mr. Kyei said a switch would be installed at Kumasi to create more telephone lines in the Northern Sector of the country within three years.

He said there were plans to expand pay phone system as it generates income for the company.