Grace Ashiru
Telkom Kenya has expanded its 4G network with the addition of 224 new sites in the lower eastern region and along the coast. The new territory includes the counties of Kitui, Makuenwithi, Kajiado and Machakos, in addition, to Taita/Taveta, Kwale, Mombasa, Kilifi, and Lamu,
This is the first step in Telkom’s plan to add more 4G sites to its mobile network. By 2023 end, the company will have added 2,000 more 4G sites across the country.
For this expansion, the telco signed a Memorandum of Understanding with networks and communications company system integrator NEC XON and Ericsson in November of last year.
This countrywide deployment, which will cost an estimated one hundred million dollars in US currency, is a facet of its long-term plan to expand its network and deal with digital transformation.
It will also help the company move toward its long-term vision of becoming the tech partner of choice for its clients in the surrounding area and Kenya.
The company says that digitalization is essential in the telecom industry, which means that consumers, businesses, and the government will need more connectivity, broadband and digitized platforms.
Telkom has reached a very intriguing new milestone with this achievement. We are convinced in our belief that access to mobile data is a basic human right, particularly given the fact that it has become an absolute must in modern life
We are still dedicated to improving the positioning of our service, and infrastructure assets to drive digitalization across all of our customer categories, which will ultimately result in increased value for those segments.
In addition to closing the digital gap by increasing the capacity of our mobile data network. Telkom Kenya’s Chief executive Officer, Mr Mugo Kibati says:
The modern consumer also demands more competitive and complete solutions that cater to their varied and ever-evolving needs, such as mobile money transactions browsing, streaming, downloading, app updates, online news reading, and activities that are now highly crucial to day-to-day living.
We continue to be conscious of the vital part that our Mobile Data network plays in maintaining our clients’ connectivity. The long-term plan to expand our terrestrial network is proceeding according to schedule, and if all goes according to plan, we will upgrade as much as 80 per cent of the firm’s network to 4G, expand the reach of our network to other parts of the country and encourage more Kenyans to go online. Mr Kibati added.
Telkom Kenya says that the Barizi Bundle will also be available to pre-paid mobile subscribers in the Lower Eastern and Coastal regions, a region-specific, hourly Mobile Bundle offered to only this area.
To access the Bundle, a consumer must only phone *544*0*2#, then follow the on-screen instructions. The hourly Bundle includes two different offers: the first is 350 MB for KSh 5, and the second is 1 GB for KSh 10.
