Internet outage: Full service to be restored in minimum of 5 weeks – NCA

The National Communication Authority (NCA) has announced that repairs to undersea cables that have adversely affected data services in the country will take a minimum of five weeks.

In the NCA’s 4th update on the internet situation in the country, the regulator indicated that the five-week duration was from assurances it had received from experts working to restore full service.

“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 in part.

The NCA has also held meetings with senior-level management of telecom service providers in the country as well as all four (4) subsea cable landing service providers (ACE, MainOne, SAT-3 and WACS).

Some countries along the West African coast suffered major disruption to internet services on Thursday, March 14, 2024, after a disruption to undersea cables.

In Ghana, MTN and Telecel (formerly Vodafone) have almost zero service with AirtelTigo providing comparatively more reliable service.

UPDATE 4: UNDERSEA CABLE DISRUPTIONS AFFECT DATA SERVICES

Airport City, Accra, Saturday, 16th March, 2024, 1900GMT: 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.

Issued by the National Communications Authority:
No. 6 Airport City, Accra
Tel: (0)30 – 2776621/2771701 or 050-145-1522/3.
E-mail: info@nca.org.gh
Website: www.nca.org.gh
Date – 16th March, 2024; 1900GMT

About NCA
The National Communications Authority, (NCA), was established by an Act of Parliament, Act 524 in December 1996, which has been repealed and replaced by the National Communications Authority Act, 2008 (Act 769).

The Authority is the statutory body mandated to license and to regulate electronic communication activities and services in the country.