Telkom Kenya has announced a Ksh1 billion investment programme to improve mobile connectivity and strengthen service quality as it seeks to compete more effectively with market leaders Safaricom and Airtel.
The investment will support the expansion and optimisation of Telkom Kenya’s 4G and 3G networks, alongside improvements to transmission, access and IT infrastructure.
The operator is positioning the programme as part of a wider effort to strengthen its data network and improve reliability for both consumer and enterprise customers.
4G and 3G network expansion at the centre of investment
Telkom Kenya said the investment will focus on expanding mobile coverage and improving the performance of its existing network.
Chief executive Mugo Kibati said the company’s objective is to strengthen its position as a preferred data network in Kenya and build a more competitive and future-ready telecom business.
He said support from shareholders and partners is helping accelerate the company’s network expansion strategy.
The investment is expected to improve accessibility, network capacity and reliability across areas served by Telkom Kenya.
Loon partnership to target underserved areas
As part of the network expansion strategy, Telkom Kenya planned to work with Loon LLC during the first half of 2019 to introduce a 4G/LTE access service using high-altitude balloons.
The project was intended to improve mobile coverage in areas including Nanyuki, Nyeri, Thika and Nakuru.
Loon LLC was at the time a sister company of Google under Alphabet and was developing high-altitude balloon technology to extend internet connectivity into areas where conventional terrestrial infrastructure was difficult to deploy.
The initiative represented an alternative approach to rural and hard-to-reach mobile coverage by using aerial infrastructure to supplement ground-based networks.
Investment also targets network transmission and IT
Telkom Kenya said part of the Ksh1 billion investment would be directed towards its broader network infrastructure.
This includes access, transmission and IT components designed to improve overall network reliability and service delivery.
Strengthening transmission capacity is particularly important as mobile data demand increases, because additional radio coverage alone does not improve performance if backhaul infrastructure cannot support growing traffic.
Fibre network expansion targets enterprise customers
The operator also planned to invest in its Fibre-to-the-Building network.
The FTTB expansion was intended to improve services for enterprise and corporate customers that require more reliable, high-capacity fixed connectivity.
By combining mobile network expansion with fibre investment, Telkom Kenya was seeking to strengthen both its consumer and business connectivity propositions.
Source: MEA Tech Watch Press Reporter
