Accra, Nov. 27, GNA - Zain Ghana on Thursday launched a drive to pre-register numbers for new subscribers on its network. The launch targeted media personnel, who got their current phone numbers on other networks minus the network code, registered with the Zain 026 code.

Mr Philip Sowah, Country Manager of Zain Ghana, noted that the drive was a nationwide one designed to make it convenient for prospective Zain subscribers to choose their own numbers, especially the ones they are familiar with on the networks they already use. "Interested persons can pre-register numbers of their choice on the Zain pre-registration website, ichoose.gh.zain.com," he said. He said Zain was currently working on the quality of its network ahead of the actual launch of services "soon".

Mr Sowah assured prospective subscribers that Zain had enough capacity to accommodate subscribers over the next 18 months, adding that, over subscription and its attendant network problems like calls not getting through, dropped calls, speech mutation and others would not be a factor for Zain.

"Our network capacity is so huge we are scared in a good way - that there may not be enough subscribers to use the network in the short-term," he said.

He said Zain call rates would be competitive, adding that, Zain would not be in a price war with the other operators, but would ensure that subscribers had a better value for the same amount on Zain than on any other network.

Touching on the indiscriminate erection of telephone masts and the environmental and health implications, Mr Sowah noted that in the next two to three weeks, all the operators would announce a co-locations agreement that would allow each operator to use one mast in particular communities.

"That would reduce the number of masts erected across the country and therefore prevent any negative implications," he said. Mr Robert Ahomka-Lindsay, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC), who presided, charged telecom operators to move beyond the basics of providing call service to bridging the technology gap with more sophisticated service such as third-generation (3G) among others.

He charged the operators to provide employment opportunities for more local graduates and also include local entrepreneurs on their suppliers list to encourage local businesses to grow the level of multi-national telecom suppliers like Sony Eriksson.