The Wireless Application Services Providers of Ghana (WASPAG) has warned that the creation of the interconnect clearing house would collapse Ghanaian companies operating in the Telecom sector.
According to the President of WASPAG Ishmael Yamson “In the telecom space, Ghanaian companies are only involved in valued added services and internet services. Everything else has been sold to the multinationals. We are trying to maintain feet hold in the industry and we think that our regulator should also be seeking the interest of the Ghanaian companies.”
WASPAG together with Ghana Internet Services Providers Association and the Telecom Chamber have petitioned parliament over the National Communications Authority (NCA)’s move to implement the interconnect clearing house next year.
An interconnect clearing house is an independent entity that provides a common platform of inter connectivity for the exchange of traffic or data amongst multiple telecom operators in a jurisdiction or locality.
President of the Wireless Application Services Providers of Ghana Ishmael Yamson tells Citi Business News there should be multiple clearing houses for service providers to have options instead of the monopoly the NCA wants to create to increase the cost of operations.
“Now you can’t tell me you are creating one interconnect clearing house to protect the Ghanaian industry, if that clearing house damages, then this clearing house damages 27 value added service Ghanaian companies and 24 other Ghanaian companies in internet service provision. How does creating one and destroying 51 make sense? So the NCA needs to be clearer with us, they need to be prepared to engage with us on what benefit they are claiming, to the Ghanaian industry will be. So far they have not told us anything.”
President of WASPAG told Citi Business News that two days after a public engagement with the NCA they have had one meeting with WASPAG to take on board their issues.
At the said meeting NCA assured WASPAG they would write with responses to the concerns that WASPAG had raised in the meeting.
According to WASPAG they are yet to hear from the NCA.
By: Norvan Acquah – Hayford/citifmonline.com/Ghana