The National Communications Authority (NCA) has ordered all mobile network operators to extend telecommunications coverage to every town within Ghana’s Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), making what was previously advisory now a compulsory licence condition.
In a statement issued on February 15, 2026, the Authority announced amendments to its Quality of Service (QoS) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which take immediate effect nationwide.
Coverage Expansion Now Enforceable
Under the revised framework, mobile operators must expand network services beyond district capitals to cover all constituent towns within each MMDA. Previously, such extensions were encouraged but not mandatory.
The NCA said the requirement is now enforceable under operators’ licence conditions, signalling a regulatory shift aimed at closing coverage gaps, particularly in rural and underserved communities.
Tougher Call Quality Standards
The Authority has also significantly tightened voice service benchmarks:
- Maximum Call Drop Rate reduced from 3% to below 1%
- Call Connection Success Rate must exceed 95% in at least 90% of operational cells within any MMDA
- Mean Opinion Score (MOS) for 2G voice services must exceed 3.0, reflecting minimum acceptable call clarity
The reduction in allowable call drop rate represents a two-percentage-point tightening of standards compared to previous thresholds.
Faster Data and Messaging Benchmarks
For data services, the 3G download speed benchmark has been raised:
- New requirement: Average throughput above 1 Mbps
- Previous benchmark: 256 kbps session-based threshold
Messaging services have also been strengthened:
- Minimum SMS and MMS delivery success rate: 98%
- Maximum delivery time: Five seconds
The Authority noted that several of the parameters had remained unchanged since 2004 and required updating to reflect evolving technology, usage patterns and national digital policy objectives.
Enforcement and Sanctions
The NCA said it will intensify monitoring, field testing and performance audits to ensure compliance. Operators that fail to meet the revised KPIs risk regulatory sanctions under their licence conditions and applicable telecommunications laws.
Consumers experiencing persistent poor service have been encouraged to file complaints through the Authority’s established reporting channels to enhance accountability.
Regulatory Shift Toward Rural Equity
By making town-level coverage mandatory and tightening technical thresholds, the NCA’s amendments mark one of the most significant overhauls of telecom service standards in over two decades, with direct implications for connectivity equity, digital inclusion and consumer protection across Ghana.
Other GCNews
