Minister for Communications and Digitalisation, Honourable Ursula Owusu Ekuful, has revealed plans to license the satellite internet service Starlink for operation in the country.
This is in response to the recent internet connectivity crisis in the country. This move aims to address the disruption in internet services caused by a reported cut in fiber cables responsible for connectivity.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament, on Monday 18th March 2024, Hon. Ursula Owusu Ekuful emphasized the importance of satellite internet as a solution to the current challenges and highlighted the significance of operationalizing the Regional African Satellite Company (RASCOM) to enhance connectivity.
“We have licensed satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks allowing for the transmission and reception of signals to and from satellites, and also prioritizing operationalizing RASCOM, the Regional African Satellite Company, rather than each country pursuing individual efforts.”
Assuring the house on the licensing process, she also recommended that organizations and enterprises adopt satellite operations as a backup data recovery system and outlined strategic measures for organizations and enterprises to ensure data resilience
“One web has already been licensed. Starlink is in the process of being licensed and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana. All network cooperators must arrange and implement alternative route to restore full services as they are currently doing. Organizations and enterprises must ensure their content, databases, applications and services are stored in a minimum of two tier-three or tier-four data centers within the country, strategically positioned at different locations. And public organizations must utilize the National Data Center as their primary or backup recovery data host”
Speaking on the issue in an exclusive interview, Human Resource Manager of Servaid Consultancy Agency, Mr. Bernard Pobee, expressed optimism about the government’s decision. He also stressed the importance of tangible improvements in internet quality, efficiency, speed, and prices to justify Starlink’s licensing in the country.
“If these alternatives by the Minister will provide another route in order to shore up our capacity or help us to have a flow of the internet even when the one option is under threat, then I welcome such a decision. In fact, this Starlink is one of the fastest options we have so we are looking forward to improved services and increased competition so that we can get better data services at relatively cheaper prices. Starlink is welcome on board they should license them. Rather, when they come , we should see some improvement in terms of quality, efficiency, speed and prices. If they are licensed and we don’t see any significant changes in these metrics, then their addition is nothing to write home about”
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Story by: Fauzia Salim | univers.ug.edu.gh
