Kenya Power to roll out Internet Distribution in Two Weeks
Kenya Power has announced the rollout of its internet distribution venture. The company says it is set to implement a lit fiber project within Nairobi within the next two weeks on a pilot basis.
“In the next two weeks, Kenya Power will implement a lit fiber project with installations beginning in Nairobi on a pilot basis,” the company said.
Kenya Power announced a month ago that it would start distributing high-speed internet through a package bundled with electricity and internet as it seeks to tap into the country’s internet demands. According to the Business Daily, the company had piloted the service with several corporate users.
“We will offer bundled power and internet services to our enterprise customers,” the company announced.
Kenya Electricity Company currently provides digital telecommunication services through its grid. The company has 7,000 kilometers of fiber and leases to 23 ISPs.
Kenya Power initially envisioned fiber-optic links as a way to improve grid monitoring. The company’s vast network of fiber-optic cables connected to its transmission lines provides the cheapest route to the fixed-line internet market.
However, ISPs are starting to favor it, as Kenya Power’s fiber-optic network is located on live power lines, providing greater security against vandalism.
“Kenya Power will use our vast network to enter the market…We will give businesses the option to use our internet for primary use or redundancy.”
The company also provides colocation facilities, telecom towers, tower leasing, and bandwidth capacity services regulated by the Kenya Communications Authority (CA).
The company said the packages are priced competitively, allowing it to capture most of the market share. Zuku, Safaricom, and Jamii Telkom already control 85.1% of the country’s fixed data market.
Kenya Electricity Company said it plans to bring internet to homes within three years, with its primary target being rural households. Power transmission lines already form the basis of networks used to connect fiber optic networks to homes.
“If you look at the business environment, the opportunity is huge and available to everyone,” Kenya Power said.