The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications has raised alarms over the increasing frequency of fibre cuts, which are severely affecting the country’s telecommunications infrastructure.

In the first half of 2024 alone, the industry recorded 5,133 incidents of fibre cuts, forcing telecom operators to spend GH¢118 million on repairs.

According to a statement released by the Chamber on Tuesday, September 24, 2024, the funds used to repair the damaged infrastructure could have been invested in expanding and improving telecom services across the country. However, frequent fibre cuts have forced operators to redirect these resources toward fixing the damaged networks.

Fibre optic cables, which are laid underground and essential for fast data transfers and high-bandwidth applications, are crucial to the country’s digital infrastructure.

The Chamber explained that the frequent damage to these cables has a direct and negative impact on telecom services nationwide.

“These frequent disruptions directly affect the quality and availability of telecom services to Ghanaians, disrupting communication, internet connectivity, and other essential services that rely on our networks. These cuts create congestion, poor voice calls, slow internet experience, and, in some cases, completely cut off network services,” the statement read.

According to the statement, the Chamber has noted that some entities continue to damage critical infrastructure, resulting in service outages, slowdowns, and frustrating interruptions for subscribers.

To address the issue, the Chamber has called on the Ghana Police Service and Judiciary to take legal action against individuals and entities responsible for recurrent fibre cuts.

They have urged law enforcement agencies to hold these parties accountable under the law to prevent further damage to the country’s telecom network.

In addition to legal measures, the Chamber has announced a public awareness initiative dubbed the "Save Our Fibre" campaign. The campaign aims to highlight the link between fibre cuts and the decline in service quality experienced by subscribers.



AM/KA

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