Chief among the things Ghanaians depend on for survival is internet connection. It can only be good if it serves its purpose, as they use it for their businesses and others. However, some internet service providers in Ghana make using their services incredibly stressful. Imagine being in a meeting and experiencing nonstop network buffering; you can barely hear the others, and vice versa. Stressful right? Telecel Ghana has been letting subscribers down for a long while, and it’s important that something is done about it.
For many, the affordability of the network is the main catch, as other networks are relatively more expensive. However, Telecel, then Vodafone, is not living up to the high expectations of its dedicated subscribers. Patrons subscribe to internet bundles only to struggle to get even 3G or 4G to work properly for them. Eventually, by the time their subscriptions expire, they wouldn’t have used it to their satisfaction or for its intended purpose. Even sending a simple text message on WhatsApp or other social media platforms can be a challenge, taking far too long to go through.
And as per Ghanaian practice, users constantly have to “turn airplane mode on and off” in hopes of getting better connectivity. As a result, some netizens have humorously likened the service provider to an “aviation school”.
In response to a nationwide internet blackout that affected Ghana and parts of the West African subregion on the 12th of March 2024, Telecel Ghana announced significant strides in strengthening its internet capacity. The company reassured subscribers that they had secured a new internet capacity and were working with local and international partners, including other Telecel network subsidiaries. It further reported positive results in service delivery across Ghana.
Telecel Ghana also claims it has implemented measures to restore internet connectivity for its subscribers. The company highlighted the deployment of local caching solutions, enabling access to popular content services such as YouTube, Facebook, and Netflix despite the ongoing challenges.
But are these fixes sufficient, given the complaints users still make every single day? Clearly not, and it has become very imperative that Telecel Ghana takes further steps to give its subscribers some hope. Telecel data may be affordable, but it will be pointless if connectivity is bad.
Evidently, there seems to be no significant improvement in connectivity. Users have taken to social media, particularly X, formerly Twitter, to vent their frustration over the situation. “With Telecel, you can turn on your mobile data and still not have Internet,” one user wrote. Many also complain about unwarranted data bundle loss. The recent slash of data prices is not even helping much, as many users still complain of their data bundles depleting mysteriously.
Some users attribute these incessant glitches to the change of ownership, claiming that since Telecel acquired Vodafone, they have not been able to maintain coverage levels across the nation. “Vodafone was poor, but Telecel? I have no words,” a user wrote on X. While this is not a proven theory, it might not be far from the truth.
Sadly, these daily glitches and slow connectivity affect subscribers in so many ways: businesses, remote workers, students, and other digital transactions.
Internet service regulators, the Ministry of Communication, Digital Technology and Innovations, and other stakeholders are called upon to hold service providers accountable.
