Telecommunication Reform in Ghana

In 1996 Ghana privatized its incumbent telecommunications firm by selling 30 percent of Ghana Telecom to Telekom Malaysia, licensing a second network operator, and allowing multiple mobile firms to enter the market. The reforms yielded mixed result...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors:	Haggarty, Luke, Shirley, Mary M., Wallsten, Scott
Format:	Policy Research Working Paper
Language:	English en_US
Published:	World Bank, Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:	ACCOUNTING ASSETS AVERAGE COSTS BIDDING BORROWING CAPITAL FLIGHT COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE CONSUMERS CORPORATE TAXES DEBT DEBT SERVICE DECISION-MAKING DEMOCRACY DISECONOMIES DISECONOMIES OF SCALE DIVIDENDS DUOPOLY ECONOMIC CIRCUMSTANCES ELECTRICITY EMPLOYMENT EXCESS DEMAND EXCHANGE RATE EXPENDITURES FISCAL DISCIPLINE GDP GDP DEFLATOR INEFFICIENCY INFLATION INTERCONNECTION AGREEMENTS INTERNATIONAL CALLS LABOR PRODUCTIVITY LEGISLATION LICENSES LOCAL CALLS MONOPOLIES NET WORTH NETWORKS PAYPHONES POLICY MAKERS POLITICAL SYSTEMS PORTS POSTAL SERVICES PRICE CONTROLS PROGRAMS PROPERTY RIGHTS PUBLIC SECTOR PUBLIC SECTOR DEFICIT PUBLIC SPENDING REAL GDP SERVICE PROVIDERS SERVICE QUALITY SIDE PAYMENTS STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT SUBSCRIBERS SWITCHES TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS TELECOM SECTOR TELECOMMUNICATION TELECOMMUNICATION REFORM TELECOMMUNICATION SECTOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY TELECOMMUNICATIONS REFORM TELECOMMUNICATIONS REFORMS TELECOMMUNICATIONS SECTOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES TELEPHONE LINES TELEPHONE PENETRATION TELEPHONES TRANSPARENCY TREASURY UNIVERSAL ACCESS UNIVERSAL SERVICE UNIVERSAL SERVICE OBLIGATIONS VALUATION VALUE ADDED VALUE ADDED SERVICES VOICE TELEPHONY TELECOMMUNICATIONS PRIVATIZATION OF PUBLIC ENTERPRISES COMPETITIVENESS PRIVATIZATION OF SERVICES GOVERNMENT COMMITMENTS POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT REFORM IMPLEMENTATION POLITICAL RISK ANALYSIS SERVICE DELIVERY VOICE TELEPHONY
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2003/03/2166849/telecommunication-reform-ghana http://hdl.handle.net/10986/18314

Description
Summary:	In 1996 Ghana privatized its incumbent telecommunications firm by selling 30 percent of Ghana Telecom to Telekom Malaysia, licensing a second network operator, and allowing multiple mobile firms to enter the market. The reforms yielded mixed results. Landline telephone penetration increased dramatically while the number of mobile subscribers surpassed even this higher level of fixed line subscribers. On the other hand, the network did not reach the levels the government hoped, the second network operator never really got off the ground, and the regulator remained weak and relatively ineffective. The sustainability of competition is unclear. The government ended Telekom Malaysia's management of Ghana Telecom and has invited Norway's Telenor as a strategic partner. What this means in practice remains unclear, and the process for selecting Telenor lacked any transparency. Meanwhile, some of the mobile firms are in precarious financial positions. Competition is still relatively strong, but its sustainability will depend on the government's future commitment to ensuring it.

Telecommunication Reform in Ghana

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