The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications (GCT) has launched a campaign dubbed “Save Our Fibre” to throw light on construction projects in the country that are contributing to fibre cuts and how they affect the quality of telecoms and broadband services.

In the first half of 2024, telcos spent a whopping GHS118 million on 5,000 fibre cuts across the country.

“In the first half of 2024 alone, there were 5,133 cuts across Ghana, of which the telecommunications industry ended up using GHS118 million to repair these cuts. This means that funds that we could have used to expand and enhance the existing services had to be reallocated to repair these damaged fibre networks,” the chamber stated.

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More about the “Save Our Fibre” campaign

According to the GCT, the campaign will begin on social media, focusing on projecting several construction projects causing fibre cuts and the communities who are also affected.

It will also update the public on fixing the damaged fibre.

GCT is deeply worried about the situation, which has damaged the nation’s telecommunications infrastructure and impacted customers’ network experience.

The chamber also added that it is engaging with the Minister of Roads and Highways, road agencies, road contractors, and utility companies to help find a solution.

“Our efforts include active participation in the National Engineering Coordinating Team (NECT) meetings, where we continue to push for better collaboration to protect telecom infrastructure during construction and utility activities,” it said.

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The importance of fibre

Fibre is an important resource laid underground or placed above the ground to connect to network operating systems, providing faster data transfers and supporting high-bandwidth applications and services.

It aids in real-time communication and seamless connectivity. Fibre should be very reliable and offer a secure choice for data transmission.

Fibre is the most preferred resource worldwide for providing seamless telecommunications services and remains an important part of modern network operations.

The Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications has concluded that it would continue to ensure that all subscribers experience uninterrupted, high-quality telecom services.

“We will continue to work tirelessly with all stakeholders to protect our nation’s telecom infrastructure and to hold accountable those who undermine it.”