Safaricom to grow fibre link four-fold for faster Internet
Safaricom CEO Mr Bob Collymore (pictured). Safaricom is seeking to increase its fibre-optic cable network four-fold in the next three years to offer faster and more efficient Internet services. PHOTO/ FILE
What you need to know:
The company says it will increase its fibre network to 2,400km from the current 600km at an estimated cost of Sh14 billion.
Safaricom CEO says the first phase will be implemented in Nairobi and improve the firm’s data services by replacing old and damaged cables.
Safaricom currently relies on other carriers that have their own fibre networks like Telkom Kenya whose fibre network is 4,500km, Jamii Telecommunication Ltd (4,000km) and AccessKenya (350km).
Safaricom is seeking to increase its fibre-optic cable network four-fold in the next three years to offer faster and more efficient Internet services.
The company says it will increase its fibre network to 2,400km from the current 600km at an estimated cost of Sh14 billion in a move that will reduce its reliance on third parties whom it pays Sh2.1 billion annually.
Safaricom has a big lead over rivals such as Telkom Kenya and Airtel, but its network has been struggling with fluctuating data speeds and dropped calls.
“The next set of investments is going to be around fibre because we have a major dependency on fibre,” Safaricom chief executive Bob Collymore told the Business Daily.
“An additional 800km now planned as Phase One of the fibre rollout project. This phase will run for 18 months from the start of current financial year. In the next three years, we will be working on extending the footprint by up to 500km per year.”
Mr Collymore added that the first phase will be implemented in Nairobi and improve the firm’s data services by replacing old and damaged cables.
Safaricom expects a surge in demand for data services in Kenya, thanks to an explosion of Internet-ready devices, especially mobile phones, applications and content.Kenya has many low-end users who make calls and send text messages, but its increasingly young and tech-savvy population is buying high-end mobile phones that are boosting data usage.
As a result, operators are revamping their infrastructure to deliver fast connections for users of tablet computers and smartphones, a lucrative and fast-growing market.
The interest in the data market is informed by the drop in tariffs in the voice business and the fact that most African countries approach maturity in terms of voice and SMS.
Safaricom controls 71.02 per cent of the mobile Internet market followed by yu at 10.01 per cent, Airtel (9.45 per cent) and Telkom Kenya (9.52 per cent).
Safaricom currently relies on other carriers that have their own fibre networks like Telkom Kenya whose fibre network is 4,500km, Jamii Telecommunication Ltd (4,000km) and AccessKenya (350km).
