Telecommunications Giant and Safaricom rival; Telkom, has begun the further expansion of its 3G and 4G networks in Eldoret, Kisumu, Nairobi, Nakuru, and Mombasa.
This move will aid the improvement of the company’s mobile connectivity to previously underserved towns and urban areas, that form part of Telkom’s expansion roadmap.
This expansion, is part of Telkom’s network modernisation and infrastructure expansion programme, which first took place in late 2016.
The program, has seen the telco launch its 4G network, progressively, to more than 30 towns and urban centres across Kenya.
It has also optimised its 3G network, by doubling and improving its existing outdoor and indoor coverage, as well as capacity.
According to data from the Communications Authority for the quarter ending December 2018, of the 2018/2019 financial year, Kenya’s mobile Internet penetration rate stands at 106.2 percent.
Telkom Kenya’s CEO, Mugo Kibati. Photo from The Sun Weekly.CEO of Telkom Kenya, Mugo Kibati says: “It remains our objective to entrench our position as Kenya’s preferred Data network, which can only be achieved through the evolution of our network to match the intended service quality expectations of a future fit telco. Our customers and Kenyans should look forward to an even more superior experience once done with the upgrade.”
The CEO also said “This demonstrates our commitment to connect the people that keep Kenya on the move with the provision of fast, reliable Internet. These metro loops will facilitate access to the Internet, which plays an important role in the lives of individuals and businesses. It further serves to entrench our position as Kenya’s preferred data network.”
Mr. Kibati further added that “Telkom intends to set up similar fibre loops along strategic routes in large towns across the country, to meet the growing demand for broadband by businesses, homes and individuals.”
In addition to improving mobile connectivity, Telkom has also been making investments into its Fibre-to-the-Building (FTTB) Network, to improve the quality of service offered to enterprise and corporate customers. The focus will include investments into access, core, transmission and IT components; infrastructure that is crucial to further improving network reliability and accessibility.
Telkom’s network modernisation and infrastructure expansion programme has also seen it partner with Loon LLC, a sister company to Google and a subsidiary of Alphabet, for the launching of an innovative 4G/LTE access network service in Kenya, via high altitude balloons which would serve as floating cell towers.
These balloons will also complement network coverage to strategic areas in Kenya, that are un-served and under-served.
The test run for this service, is expected to launch later this year (2019).
Telkom has also been making significant investments into its national backbone and metropolitan transmission networks, as part of its infrastructure upgrade and expansion. This upgrade seeks to deliver triple back-up features, enriched service experience and extended reach to its wholesale customers in the East African market. This will not only enhance customer data experience but also boost reseller capacity to other telcos and Internet service providers across East Africa who purchase from Telkom. Telkom has also reviewed the number of maintenance teams along these critical routes, ensuring they are fully equipped to attend to downtimes efficiently and to also continuously check on the health of the infrastructure as a proactive maintenance measure.
The telecommunications company, has rehabilitated its metropolitan network around key carrier routes in Nairobi as well, with minimal disruptions.
In addition, it has already laid out a new metro-loop to connect Mombasa to its national backbone as well as a 1,000 km redundancy backbone between Mombasa and Tororo, Uganda.
