The cost of mobile phone data and voice subscriptions may reduce following the provision of extra spectrum, at no cost, by the government to mobile telephony operators Vodafone and MTN Ghana due to the increasing pressure on bandwidth, as a result of significant usage of data.

Since the partial lockdown of Greater Accra, Greater Kumasi and Kasoa due to the COVID-19 outbreak, many employees have been working from home.

This has reduced the speed of internet usage on both hand-held devices such as mobile phones and tablets, as well as computers.

Minister of Communication Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, who disclosed this on Tuesday at a press briefing, said the extra spectrum will last for three months, and will aid the work of the telecom firms.

“The President has directed that the NCA should give more bandwidth to the telcos during this period for free and that has been done.

“That has been given to the two telcos that are bearing the brunt of it; Vodafone and MTN,” she noted.

The Minister said: “AirtelTigo has a sufficient spectrum, so, Vodafone and MTN have been given the additional spectrum for three months because we do need to reserve some for emergencies like this and, so, we can’t give them permanently.”

She was optimistic that pressure on their networks will reduce at this crucial period, and urged  Ghanaians to conserve data by limiting the download of “movies and music.”