NCA Orders Mobile Operators to Extend Network Coverage to All Towns Within MMDAs
The National Communications Authority (NCA) has ordered mobile network operators to extend network coverage beyond district capitals to all constituent towns within every Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assembly (MMDA), under a revised Quality of Service (QoS) framework that takes immediate effect.
In a press release dated Sunday, February 15, 2026, the regulator announced amendments to the QoS Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for mobile telecommunications services in Ghana, introducing what it described as “more stringent, measurable and enforceable performance thresholds” for voice, data and messaging services nationwide.
According to the Authority, the revised framework updates QoS parameters that have been in place since 2004 and is intended to reflect current technological advancements, evolving consumer usage patterns and national policy objectives.
The NCA said it is mandated to protect consumer interests and ensure the delivery of reliable, efficient and high-quality telecommunications services, noting that the amendments form part of its ongoing regulatory interventions to improve service delivery and strengthen compliance by mobile network operators.
Beyond performance benchmarks, the Authority said the amended framework introduces a mandatory coverage obligation, requiring operators to extend network reach to all towns within every MMDA.
The regulator noted that under previous arrangements, operators were encouraged, but not obligated, to expand coverage beyond district capitals. Under the new framework, the requirement is now enforceable as a licence condition.
Under the revised voice service standards, the NCA has reduced the maximum allowable call drop rate from not more than 3 per cent to less than 1 per cent, a measure it said is aimed at improving call stability.
The Authority has also introduced a mandatory Call Connection Success Rate threshold, requiring more than 95 per cent of attempted calls to successfully connect in over 90 per cent of operational cells within any MMDA.
To improve perceived call quality, the NCA has further established a minimum average Mean Opinion Score (MOS) of above 3.0 for 2G services.
For data services, the regulator has revised the 3G data download speed benchmark, with the new KPI requiring an average throughput exceeding 1 megabit per second (Mbps), replacing the previous session-based threshold of 256 kilobits per second (kbps).
Messaging service standards have also been tightened, with operators now required to achieve a minimum SMS and MMS delivery success rate of 98 per cent, while delivery times must not exceed five seconds.
The NCA said it will intensify monitoring through field measurements and performance assessments to ensure compliance, warning that operators that fail to meet the approved thresholds will face regulatory sanctions in line with their licence conditions and applicable laws.
Consumers experiencing persistent poor mobile service quality were encouraged to lodge complaints through the NCA’s toll-free line, 0800 30 30 30, via email at complaints@nca.org.gh, on social media platforms, or by visiting any of the Authority’s offices nationwide.
