The National Communications Authority (NCA) is in the process of establishing a new regulatory framework for Submarine Carrier Services in Ghana. The framework aims to regulate submarine cable consortiums landing in the country and selling capacity directly to clients, bypassing the traditional practice of working through landing partners like telecommunications companies (telcos). This development aims to foster increased competition and improve access to submarine cable capacity.
The NCA is calling for public feedback, including input from licensed service providers, consumers of ICT services, and the general public, to be submitted by November 30th, 2024. Feedback can be sent in Microsoft Word format to the NCA’s email address, [email protected]. All submissions will be published on the NCA website, ensuring transparency in the consultation process.
The proposed framework introduces two classes of submarine carrier authorizations: Class A and Class B. Class A allows entities involved in submarine cable consortiums to sell cable capacity directly to licensed electronic communications service providers, bypassing the landing party. Class B allows the sale of submarine cable capacity on behalf of consortium members, targeting new entrants and licensed entities that are not already contributing the 1% annual regulatory fee.
Both authorizations are valid for five years, with a renewal option for an additional five-year period. The Class A license is priced at GH¢ 20,000, while the Class B license costs GH¢ 10,000, with a registration fee of GH¢ 1,000 for both. The NCA’s initiative also includes exemptions for entities partnering with those already paying the regulatory fee.
The new framework seeks to regularize the operations of existing submarine carriers, allowing them to sell capacity to entities other than the landing parties, thus opening up new avenues for service providers in Ghana’s growing digital economy. This step is expected to contribute to enhancing competition and service delivery within the telecommunications sector, positioning Ghana as a key player in the African and global digital markets.
