Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) are to consider the possibility of prioritizing and allocating more data resources to some critical state institutions and services considering the limited bandwidth currently available, while they work with the Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers to progressively improve internet data capacity.
The institutions are: Bank of Ghana (BoG), Ghana Association of Banks (GAB),
Ghana Interbank Payment and Settlement Systems (GhIPSS), Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), Central Securities Depository, and Ghana Water Company Limited.
The rest are: Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Mobile Network Operators (MNOs), Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers, Ghana Internet Exchange (GIX), and Accra Internet Exchange (AIX).
The move follows a meeting between the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the critical institutions mentioned above on Monday, March 18, 2024.
The objective of the meeting was to understand and find solutions to the peculiar challenges facing financial and public utility service providers regarding the impact of the current data connectivity disruptions affecting banking transactions and digital payments of utilities such as water and electricity.
A statement issued by the NCA in its latest update dated March 18, 2024, said: “It was further recommended that the financial and utility service providers should in the medium to long term, consider hosting critical services locally to ensure continuous service delivery in the event of a major disruption such as the current situation and to leverage local internet exchanges (GIX and AIX).”
“The meeting also noted that the Subsea Cable Landing Service Providers and MNOs progressively continue to receive capacity from their international partners as they work towards full restoration of data services. User experience will continue to improve as additional capacity becomes available,” the statement added.
Disruption of undersea cables has since Thursday, 14th March, 2024 affected data services across the country.
Source: Kasapafmonline.com
