Expresso network facing difficulties

…As NCA advises subscribers to make use of MNP

By: Yaw Sarpong

Expresso mobile, the only CDMA mobile services in the country is facing operational difficulties, since the beginning of this year.

According to the National Communications Authority (NCA) since the beginning of 2014, Expresso has been encountering operational difficulties and this includes inability to meet some of its financial obligations.

However, NCA reminded Expresso subscribers that they can make use of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) platform to change to another provider while keeping their number if they so wish.

Daily Express investigation revealed that the company is finding it difficult to pay companies who have provided services to the network. This is because revenue generation by the company has consistently been dropping.

This paper can confirm that some mobile operators have terminated their interconnect agreement with Expresso.

Expresso lines have consistently been reducing. Between February and August, this year the network data subscription dropped from 50,551 to 36,135. This means that between the periods the network lost 14,416 lines. Similarly, Expresso voice dropped from 153,727 to 123,825 during the same period, recording 29,902 drops.

In a statement to cautioned the public about the services of Expresso, NCA said since the beginning of the year, the authority made consistent and intensive efforts to help Expresso address its difficulties by managing various crisis situations and to ensure that the network is able to meet all its obligations, and most especially to its customers and the general consumers within the telecommunications industry in Ghana.

However, the authority observed that it efforts to redeemed the image of the company has not yield any results.

‘Unfortunately, the situation has got to the point where a mobile network operator, on 1st November, 2014, took a business decision to effect a one – way block from the Expresso network to their platform. This is because Expresso, has consistently failed to meet all its obligations under the Interconnect Agreement they had with the operator in question,’ NCA stated.

As a result of the on-going situation facing Expresso, the NCA has directed the management of the network to inform its customers of the true state of affairs which may have an impact on their service usage.

The authority also advices all Expresso subscribers and the general public to be aware of the prevailing situation and make informed decisions on the purchase of goods and services from Expresso.

Meanwhile, NCA has assured all Expresso customers and the general public of monitoring the situation and will take appropriate action after a comprehensive review of the situation.