The telecom watchdogs of Liberia and Ghana are in the midst of hashing out a potentially game-changing deal: free roaming between the two nations. According to reports from the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), this move signals the first stride towards a system where folks with mobile phones can enjoy local rates while gallivanting across borders. If all goes well, carriers will need to concoct some nifty solutions to make this happen without burning a hole in anyone’s pocket, all while keeping in line with ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) regulations.
Back in 2020, the LTA laid down the law, pushing local mobile honchos to toe the ECOWAS line. But, like a rusty engine, progress has been sluggish, with bilateral talks taking their sweet time to kick off.
ECOWAS threw down the gauntlet on roaming norms back in 2017, aiming to streamline the whole shebang across its member states’ mobile networks.
But, oh boy, has it been a bumpy ride. Lack of direct links between telecom bigwigs, sky-high call termination rates, and the ever-looming specter of fraud have all conspired to put the brakes on progress.
Angela Cassell Bush, Acting International Gateway Systems Commissioner, gave a nod to these developments, hinting that Liberia is gearing up for more pow-wows with other ECOWAS buddies to get this zero-cost roaming show on the road.
It’s no secret that most folks making calls between Liberia and Ghana have hitched their wagon to internet-based apps like WhatsApp, Messenger, and Telegram. That’s all well and good if you’ve got a smartphone and a data plan handy. Otherwise, you’re left scrambling to get your hands on a local SIM card just to make a blummin’ call. With a local SIM in tow, you can either top up on voice credits or flick on the data switch for some good ol’ internet calls using your trusty old number.
Following suit with the ECOWAS playbook, many African nations have been dabbling in the free roaming game. Aliyu Yusuf Aboki, the Executive Secretary of the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA), spilled the beans during an interview, revealing that a whopping 13 ECOWAS member states have jumped through hoops to axe roaming charges.
In April 2024, Ghana and Benin inked a deal to make roaming a free-for-all, aiming to ease the strain on folks flitting between their borders. Hot on their heels, Niger and Togo threw their hats in the ring, announcing plans to shake hands on a similar deal to keep their citizens connected without breaking the bank.
Not to be outdone, Benin and Togo took things up a notch back in October 2023, penning a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to grease the wheels for free international mobile network roaming between their borders.