Ghana's internet restoration efforts to take five weeks – NCA

The National Communications Authority (NCA) has announced that it anticipates needing a minimum of five weeks to fully restore internet connections nationwide.

Since Thursday, March 14, 2024, disruptions in Mobile Network Operations have persisted due to cuts in undersea fibre optic cables, vital for internet connectivity across Ghana.

These disruptions have left a significant number of Ghanaians without access

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In response, the NCA held a meeting on Saturday, March 16, 2024, with all subsea cable landing service providers and the three affected mobile operators.

During the meeting, it was disclosed that the service providers have remotely pinpointed the approximate locations of the damage and are in the process of mobilizing repair vessels to the affected areas.

The NCA emphasized that achieving full restoration of connectivity is expected to require a minimum of five weeks. It reassured the public of its commitment to ongoing collaboration with relevant stakeholders to ensure the timely completion of the repair work.

"The subsea cable landing service providers have indicated an estimated time frame of a minimum of five (5) weeks for full-service restoration from the time the vessels are dispatched to the various locations," the statement read.

"The NCA recognizes the impact the disruptions have had on economic, academic and social activities and assures the public of its commitment to continue collaborating with relevant stakeholders. We expect some improvement in data services in the coming days while the operators work around the clock to restore full connectivity," it added.

Read the full statement from the NCA below:

Further to our last update, the National Communications Authority (NCA) wishes to inform the public that:

1. The Authority this afternoon held a face-to-face meeting with all four (4) subsea cable landing service providers (ACE, MainOne, SAT-3 and WACS); and the three (3) mobile network operators (AT, MTN and Telecel).

2. The meeting was attended by the top management of the above providers and operators to receive updates and to discuss the way forward.

3. The Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) and subsea cable landing service providers continue to work with their international partners in the sub-region to progressively add more capacity for data services as it becomes available.

4. The subsea cable landing service providers have remotely identified the approximate locations of the damage and have made preparations to dispatch repair vessels to the location for physical assessment and restoration.

5. Based on the above, the subsea cable landing service providers have indicated an estimated time frame of a minimum of five (5) weeks for full-service restoration from the time the vessels are dispatched to the various locations.

6. The NCA recognizes the impact the disruptions have had on economic, academic and social activities and assures the public of its commitment to continue collaborating with relevant stakeholders. We expect some improvement in data services in the coming days while the operators work around the clock to restore full connectivity.

7. The NCA encourages MNOs, Internet Service Providers, and all other providers to actively participate in the operations of the Ghana Internet Exchange (GIX) in order to ensure an efficient local content delivery and a seamless Internet traffic exchange locally.

8. New developments will be communicated when available.