Telecommunications companies operating in Ghana could face regulatory sanctions if they fail to comply with stricter call quality standards introduced by the National Communications Authority (NCA).

The regulator has revised the allowable call drop rate from three per cent to one per cent, a move aimed at improving the overall quality of service experienced by mobile subscribers across the country.

The new requirement means network operators must strengthen their infrastructure to ensure that only a very small proportion of calls fail during communication.

The directive forms part of a broader shift in the regulatory focus from simply expanding network access to ensuring that consumers enjoy a reliable and high-quality service when using telecommunications networks.

Under the updated framework, telecommunications providers will be required to properly provision and manage their networks to meet the new standard.

Failure to do so could result in regulatory penalties, particularly where persistent call quality issues are detected in specific locations.

The NCA explained that while fines are provided for under the licences issued to telecom operators, the regulator’s initial response will be to notify companies of the deficiencies and give them time to rectify the situation before further action is taken.

The Director-General of the NCA, Edmund Yirenkyi Fianko, disclosed this during an interview with Channel One TV on Monday, March 9.

“The shift now is from access to quality of the experience. In the past, the requirement was that about 3% of the millions of minutes of calls could drop, and it was acceptable under the regulatory requirement. We have reduced it to 1%, meaning the standard is now more stringent,” he said.

He added that the regulator may carry out repeated tests in specific locations over several days to determine whether poor call quality is a consistent problem.

According to him, if network providers fail to address the issue after being notified, the NCA will proceed with sanctions as stipulated in their operating licences.