Over the past few months, Telkom Kenya has been boosting its data services to match growing demand. The telecommunications firm is currently working to increase its 4G network sites by more than four times to 2,590 in a two year project worth over Sh. 1.1 billion.
This upgrade is being done in partnership with Swedish-based infrastructure provider, Ericsson and South Africa- based systems integrator NEC XON. The investment is expected to increase the firm’s internet speed service and propel the firm’s capacity to gain a larger share of the internet business.
In addition, this investment will see Telkom further cement its position as Kenya’s most affordable and reliable mobile internet provider. Telkom has emerged as one of the most preferred network providers in Kenya due to its low data packages and data efficiency. The service provider currently has a package that offers up to 180 GB for Sh. 2,000, an amount of GB that would cost Sh. 18,000 on a rival network.
Telkom gives customers free data tokens for last week’s network outage
The investment Telkom is making towards the expansion of its 4G network will raise its network sites from current 1,500 out of which 590 are 4G. It will also involve upgrade of the 910 2G and 3G sites, scaling up 80 percent of its network to 4G to compete with other service providers.
“The customer is also demanding more competitive and comprehensive products that address their different and ever-changing needs like browsing, downloading, streaming, mobile money transactions, reading the news online, and updating their apps; actions that are now very important to everyday life,” said Telkom’s chief executive Mugo Kibati. “The development of new products and solutions but more importantly, the provision of the network needed to access these services is a priority for us at Telkom.”
Telkom will be set to gain an upper hand in a market that is currently being driven by demand for data as the digitization of the economy is scaled upwards.