WORLD TRADE GATS/SC/35/Suppl.1
11April 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-1372)
Trade inServices
GHANA
Schedule ofSpecific Commitments
Supplement 1
(This isauthentic inEnglish only)
_______________
Thistextisinserted asSector 2.C.onTelecommunications indocument GATS/SC/35.GATS/SC/35/Suppl.1
Page2GHANA -SCHEDULE OFSPECIFIC COMMITMENTS
Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional Commitments
2. COMMUNICATION
SERVICES
C. Telecommunication services
Forpublic use
Fixed network infrastructure
Local, domestic longdistance, and
international(1) Bypass ofduopoly operators is
notpermitted.
(2) None(1) None
(2) NoneSeeattached additional
commitments onregulatory
disciplines.
a. Voice telephone services
(7521)
(Including public paytelephone
services, operator and
emergency services)
g. Private leased circuit service
(7522**,7523**)(3) Duopoly established withthe
operators toprovide service in
competition witheach other.
Regulator canlicence additional
suppliers oflocal service to
underserved population centres
forwhich duopoly operators
have declined rights offirst
refusal. Only through joint
venture withGhanaian
national(s).
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measuresTheduopoly operators are
granted exclusivity foraperiod of
fiveyears. Attheexpiration of
thisperiod, theGovernment will
conduct areview ofitspolicy to
determine whether tolicense
additional suppliers ofsuch
services.GATS/SC/35/Suppl.1
Page3Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional Commitments
Forpublic use
b. Packet-switched data
transmission services (7523**)
c. Circuit-switched data
transmission services (7523**)
d. Telex services (7523**)
e. Telegraph services (7522)
f. Facsimile services (7521**,
7529**)
o. Other
Internet andInternet access
services [except voice]
(75260**)
Teleconferencing services
(75292)(1) Bypass ofnetwork facilities of
theduopoly operators isnot
permitted
(2) None
(3) May establish ownnetwork
facilities; ormayobtain
transmission capacity,but only
from theduopoly operators.
Only through joint venture with
Ghanaian national(s)
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures
Forpublic use
Mobile services (terrestrial and
satellite based)
- Cellular/mobile telephone
services
- Mobile dataservices
- Personal communications
services
- Paging (75291)
- Trunked radio system services
Fixed satellite services(1) Forvoice services commercial
arrangements withduopoly
operators required. Fornon-
voice services bypass of
network facilities ofduopoly
operators isnotpermitted.
(2) None
(3) Only through joint venture
withGhanaian national(s).
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures.(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measuresGATS/SC/35/Suppl.1
Page4Modes ofsupply: 1)Cross-border supply 2)Consumption abroad 3)Commercial presence 4)Presence ofnatural persons
Sector orsub-sector Limitations onMarket Access Limitations onNational Treatment Additional Commitments
Telecommunications equipment sales
(75410)(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures
Telecommunications equipment rental,
maintenance, connection, repair and
consulting services (75420 -75450)(1) Commercial presence required
(2) None
(3) Only through joint venture with
Ghanaian national(s)
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measures(1) None
(2) None
(3) None
(4) Unbound except asindicated
under horizontal measuresGATS/SC/35/Suppl.1
Page5
ATTACHMENT: ADDITIONAL COMMITMENTS
Scope
Thefollowingaredefinitionsandprinciplesontheregulatoryframeworkforthebasictelecommunications
services.
Definitions
Users mean service consumers andservice suppliers.
Essential facilities mean facilities ofapublic telecommunications transport network orservice that
(a) areexclusively orpredominantly provided byasingle orlimited number ofsuppliers;
and
(b) cannot feasibly beeconomically ortechnically substituted inorder toprovide aservice.
Amajor supplier isasupplier which hastheability tomaterially affect theterms ofparticipation (having
regard toprice andsupply) intherelevant market forbasic telecommunications services asaresult
of:
(a) control overessential facilities; or
(b) useofitsposition inthemarket.
1. Competitive safeguards
1.1 Prevention ofanti-competitive practices intelecommunications
Appropriate measures shallbemaintained forthepurpose ofpreventing suppliers who, alone
ortogether, areamajor supplier from engaging inorcontinuing anti-competitive practices.
1.2 Safeguards
Theanti-competitive practices referred toabove shallinclude inparticular:
(a) engaging inanti-competitive cross-subsidization;
(b) using information obtained from competitors withanti-competitive results; and
(c) notmaking available toother services suppliers onatimely basistechnical information
about essential facilities andcommercially relevant information which arenecessary
forthem toprovide services.GATS/SC/35/Suppl.1
Page6
2. Interconnection
2.1 Thissection applies tolinking withsuppliers providing public telecommunications transport
networks orservices inorder toallow theusers ofonesupplier tocommunicate withusers ofanother
supplier and toaccess services provided byanother supplier, where specific commitments are
undertaken.
2.2 Interconnection tobeensured
Interconnection withamajor supplier willbeensured atanytechnically feasible point inthe
network. Such interconnection isprovided.
(a) under non-discriminatory terms, conditions (including technical standards and
specifications) andratesandofaquality nolessfavourable thanthatprovided forits
ownlikeservices orforlikeservices ofnon-affiliated service suppliers orforits
subsidiaries orother affiliates;
(b) inatimely fashion, onterms, conditions (including technical standards and
specifications) andcost-oriented ratesthataretransparent, reasonable, having regard
toeconomic feasibility, andsufficiently unbundled sothatthesupplier neednotpay
fornetwork components orfacilities thatitdoesnotrequire fortheservice tobe
provided; and
(c) upon request, atpoints inaddition tothenetwork termination points offered tothe
majority ofusers, subject tocharges thatreflect thecostofconstruction ofnecessary
additional facilities.
2.3 Public availability oftheprocedures forinterconnection negotiations
Theproceduresapplicableforinterconnectiontoamajorsupplierwillbemadepubliclyavailable.
2.4 Transparency ofinterconnection arrangements
Itisensured thatamajor supplier willmake publicly available either itsinterconnection
agreements orareference interconnection offer.
2.5 Interconnection: dispute settlement
Aservice supplier requesting interconnection withamajor supplier willhaverecourse, either:
(a) atanytime; or
(b) afterareasonable period oftimewhich hasbeenmade publicly known
toanindependent domestic body, which maybearegulatory bodyasreferred toinparagraph 5below,
toresolve disputes regarding appropriate terms, conditions andrates forinterconnection within a
reasonable period oftime, totheextent thatthese havenotbeenestablished previously.GATS/SC/35/Suppl.1
Page7
3. Universal service
AnyMemberhastherighttodefinethekindofuniversalserviceobligationitwishestomaintain.
Such obligations willnotberegarded asanti-competitive perse,provided theyareadministered in
atransparent, non-discriminatory andcompetitively neutral manner andarenotmore burdensome than
necessary forthekindofuniversal service defined bytheMember.
4. Public availability oflicensing criteria
Where alicence isrequired, thefollowing willbemade publicly available:
(a) allthelicensing criteria andtheperiod oftimenormally required toreach a
decision concerning anapplication foralicence and
(b) theterms andconditions ofindividual licences.
Thereasons forthedenial ofalicence willbemade known totheapplicant upon request.
5. Independent regulators
Theregulatory body isseparate from, andnotaccountable to,anysupplier ofbasic
telecommunications services. Thedecisions ofandtheprocedures usedbyregulators shallbeimpartial
withrespect toallmarket participants.
6. Allocation anduseofscarce resources
Anyprocedures fortheallocation anduseofscarce resources, including frequencies, numbers
andrightsofway,willbecarriedoutinanobjective,timely,transparentandnon-discriminatorymanner.
Thecurrent stateofallocated frequency bands willbemade publicly available, butdetailed identification
offrequencies allocated forspecific government usesisnotrequired.