Telkom Kenya to roll out free Wi-Fi in all 290 constituencies

Telkom launches free wifi

Telkom Kenya Limited has announced a free Wi-Fi roll out in all 290 constituencies across the country. The Ministry of ICT in partnership with the National Constituency Development Fund (NCDF) will see Telkom Kenya install 1,160 Constituency Incubation Hubs which translates to 4 hubs per constituency. The government funded Constituency Incubation Hubs will be equipped with 40 tablet devices, per incubation hub.

The Hubs are aimed at benefiting youth entrepreneurs by way of helping them develop their ICT skills and applications.

“We are excited about the roll-out of this new government project. As a strategic partner to the Kenya government’s national ICT agenda, Telkom Kenya is able to provide end-to-end solutions, tailor-made to meet a growing set of needs for the Public Sector,” said Kris Senanu, Managing Director of the Enterprise Division at Telkom Kenya said.

The National Constituency Development Fund under Members of parliament will fund the project for the supply and installation of the equipment components while the Ministry of ICT will fund the provision of Internet broadband services at a tune of Ksh 200million for a period of one year.

The advantage of this kind of free Wi-Fi is that it will be accessed via satellite internet (Very Small Aperture Terminal). The tablets available at the centers will be leased to the youth at a nominal fee. The proceeds will be used to sustain the hubs.

The free Wi-Fi will also broaden the knowledge base with the rural population accessing services and online opportunities that were previously inaccessible to them.

“Telkom Kenya has continued to invest in its network infrastructure with a sizeable portfolio in broadband infrastructure, submarine cables, and its management of the government’s National Optic Fiber Backbone,” Senanu added in a statement.

The rollout comes at the back of increased efforts by Telecommunications companies in partnership with others to improve digital literacy in the country through various programs.

The National Fiber Optic Project (NFOP) centers will also boost entrepreneurship by attracting investors to access the center for research. The project has been successfully piloted in Limuru.

 

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