2.3 million Vodafone Ghana customers affected by fibre cuts this year – CEO

The Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai, has bemoaned the continuous destruction and theft of fibre and copper cables by construction companies and private citizens, which has affected 2.3 million of its customers so far this year.

She expressed her frustration during the launch of Vodafone’s Fibre Infrastructure roll-out campaign.

According to data from the Ghana Chamber of Telecommunications, the Mobile Industry experienced over 2,000 incidents of fibre cuts, and 600 incidents of theft at base stations affecting over 18 million subscribers within the first half of 2019 year alone.

Fibre optic cables have aided the connection of platforms for improved service delivery by telecom operators. However, the challenge of dealing with their regular destruction has left most telecom operators worried.

Speaking to Citi Business News at the launch of Vodafone’s Fibre Infrastructure roll-out campaign, the Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone Ghana, Patricia Obo-Nai, said it is important for all stakeholders to protect the Fibre assets of telecommunication companies.

“When they cut the fibre it doesn’t affect just the broadband customer, it affects the mobile customers as well, some of who are on our 4G platform which rides heavily on fibre. So that is why I’m appealing that just like people get alert when they see exposed electricity cable or a burst water pipe, they should be concerned when they see a damaged or cut fibre cable as it can be classified as a national asset.”

Vodafone Ghana recently revealed that it spends an average of GH¢ 1.8 million annually in fixing interruptions caused by cable cuts and thefts. Undeterred Patricia Obo-Nai says they will continue to make investments in their fibre infrastructure for the benefit of their customers.

For years, the telecommunications company has been providing broadband internet to homes and companies, using a mix of copper installments and fibre cables.

In an attempt to further add value to the consumers’ experience, Vodafone is investing in an extensive fibre infrastructure roll-out to provide seamless ultra-high speed ‘Fibre-To-The-home’ (FTTH) connectivity for more homes and workplaces.

The upgrading of copper-based customers within the Greater Accra Region to Vodafone’s FTTH service will be for free. Customers in other regions where the company’s FTTH service is also readily available will be subsequently upgraded.

Patricia Obo-Nai assured Vodafone’s current and prospective customers of the company’s commitment to continued investments into its fibre infrastructure to enable it deliver unmatched broadband services nationwide.

“Fibre speeds are 10 times better than what you get on copper, so the transformation is significant because at the moment people don’t have time, they are working and studying at home, so you can’t afford to have slow internet. This is why reliable service and a faster speed is basic, and that is why we are embarking on this campaign for our customers” she noted.

Vodafone’s Fibre Infrastructure roll-out campaign will see the company phase out its copper installments across the country, replacing them with super-fast Fibre internet to serve its customers.