In a move to address concerns around cross-border signal interference between Ghana and Burkina Faso, communications regulators and mobile operators in the countries are deliberating on strategies and looking to finalise a frequency coordination agreement that will help mitigate interference challenges along their common borders.
The National Communications Authority (NCA) of Ghana and Autorité de Régulation des Communications Électroniques et des Postes (ARCEP) of Burkina Faso commenced the first of two bilateral meetings.
Held virtually on Tuesday to address issues around the management of spectrum, the meeting is a response to complaints received from consumers along the Ghana–Burkina Faso border regarding interference issues, said NCA.
Acting director general of NCA, Edmund Fianko, mindful of the negative effects of signal interference challenges, noted that Ghana had already signed a frequency agreement with Togo and looked forward to concluding a similar arrangement with Burkina Faso.
The regulator urged all stakeholders to respect the agreed thresholds, emphasising that provisions would be made for minimum signal strength across the border, and that operators on both sides must comply with the new thresholds once agreed.
Fianko further hinted at the authority’s interest in advancing discussions on the Economic Community of West African States roaming, highlighting that Ghana had already achieved successful implementations with Togo and Benin.
Speaking at the meeting, Sibiri Ouattara, technical advisor to the executive secretary, ARCEP, said the meeting was a step in the right direction, as regulators and operators worked together to build a robust framework for a better coordinated and more effectively managed spectrum.
Ouattara was positive that the meetings would provide an opportunity to examine the results of the measurements taken during the last joint spectrum monitoring exercise conducted along the borders of the two nations between October and December 2024.
He said: “I am convinced that the conclusions and recommendations resulting from our discussions will represent a major step, guaranteeing optimal and harmonious use of frequencies without harmful interference, for the benefit of our citizens.”
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