The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) plans to upgrade and expand its fibre optic cable network to cover at least 18 towns as part of a revenue diversification drive.
The State agency said it would also establish a network operation centre (NOC) to support its expanding fibre optic infrastructure.
“Cities and towns earmarked for establishment points of presence for signal distribution and or access operations are Mombasa, Voi, Mtito Andei, Makindu, Kibwezi, Kiboko, Simba, Emali, Sultan Hamud, Konza, Machakos, Nairobi, Naivasha, Gilgil, Nakuru, Burnt Forest, Eldoret, and Kisumu,” the company said.
KPC ventured into the internet supply business in 2015, and officially launched the fibre-optic cable in April 2022, initially running from the port of Mombasa through Nairobi to Kisumu and Eldoret cities.
The Mombasa to Nairobi fibre segment has an estimated optical length of 532 kilometres while the Nairobi -Sinendet segment is about 223 kilometres.
“The entire fibre topology for KPC has only one path, from Changamwe to Nairobi and Nairobi to Kisumu and Eldoret through Sinendet. To guarantee acceptable service level agreements on the bulk bandwidth capacity offered to data carriers, telcos, and internet service providers, KPC shall avail additional fibre cores independent from the KPC fibre infrastructure for the establishment of redundancy and services protection” the company said.
KPC said it would carry out 10 extensions on its present fibre optic network to cover more towns through Kenya Power substations.
“Extension from designated KPC sites to KPLC sites is required for the provision of protection and or redundancy to the link services provided,” the company said.
KPC said the expansion phase will also involve installation of public Wi-Fi hotspots in 14 towns and townships including; Maungu, Mtito Andei, Makindu, Kibwezi, Kiboko, Simba, Emali, Sultan Hamud, Konza, Naivasha, Nakuru, Sinendet, Burnt Forest and Embakasi Pipeline Estate.
The company in September 2024 revealed that it was developing a diversified pricing model for its fibre-optic cable business to entice smaller off-takers who have largely been excluded from the crucial infrastructure.
The new model will allow tier 2 and tier 3 internet service providers (ISPs), which are smaller off-takers serving sub-national or even local regions, to pay lower rates for access to the internet fibre cable compared to tier 1 providers such as Safaricom, Airtel, and others.
This is expected to boost uptake of the service by smaller providers, especially tier 3 ISPs.
The KPC fibre optic network has onboarded some top ISPs, including Safaricom, Airtel, Wananchi Group (Zuku), and Telkom.
Syokimau-based Syokinet became the first tier 3 provider to join the KPC fibre optic network in September 2024. Third-tier providers currently buy internet connections from larger ISPs and act as redistributors.