The Togo Electronic Communications and Postal Regulatory Authority (ARCEP) and the Ghana National Communication Authority (NCA) are committed to ensuring effective management of radio frequencies in the border areas between Ghana and Togo.
Following a joint measurement campaign at the border from May 8th to 12th, 2023, the two institutions and mobile network operators from both countries are gathering in Lomé for a coordination and sharing meeting on radio frequencies in the border areas between the two countries.
The proceedings of this meeting started on Wednesday, May 24th, 2023, at the ARCEP headquarters in Lomé, following an official opening ceremony.
Over the course of three (3) days, these stakeholders will update the coordination and sharing agreement for terrestrial radio frequencies, which was signed on June 1st, 2019.
“During this gathering, the stakeholders will address the issue of accidental roaming, which is becoming a recurring phenomenon of increasing concern in the border areas between these two countries. Considering the importance of the topic, I can already assure you of my firm commitment to support the efforts of mobile operators in complying with the technical parameters specified in the coordination agreement and combating accidental roaming at the borders,” stated Kossivi DOKOUE, Representative of the Director General of ARCEP, on this occasion.
“This meeting is an opportunity for us to revisit our bilateral agreement on frequency management at our borders, to assess if we are in compliance with the regulations, and to make possible amendments with the aim of ensuring quality mobile services for our populations,” added Bernard AMISSAH-OCRAN, Deputy Director Engreement/NAC.
By involving Ghanaian mobile companies such as MTN, AIRTEL-TIGO, and VODAPHONE, as well as Togolese companies TOGOCOM and MOOV AFRICA TOGO in these discussions, the two regulatory institutions aim to achieve a significant improvement in mobile telecommunications services in the border areas within the shortest possible time.
“The major issue that has been reported is signal penetration, which means the reception of Ghanaian signals in Togo and the reception of Togolese signals in Ghana. Therefore, this gathering will allow us to discuss the technical conditions that can limit the penetration of these signals,” explained Martial DHOSSA, Director of Spectrum Radio Frequencies at ARCEP.
It should be noted that the existing agreement between Togo and Ghana recommends periodic meetings to facilitate the use of radio frequencies at the borders in order to ensure quality services for each frequency user and limit interference between the operated services, especially those related to mobile telephony, FM, and TV broadcasting in each country.
