Wireless access for millions
2007-10-30 15:07
Nairobi - More than 10 million Kenyans who don't have access to the internet now stand to benefit from the planned wireless internet connection to public payphones by June next year, government news agency BuaNews reports.
Telkom Kenya's Corporate Department Chief Bernard Rubia said reviews are also under way to standardise the company's controversial low call cost tariffs.
Rubia told a press briefing on Monday that Telkom Kenya was aiming to provide internet services to 90% of Kenya's population by January next year.
He also urged the government to gazette bans on the trade in copper and aluminium as a way of stemming the vandalism of Telkom wires across the country.
At the same time, the company plans to reduce the wireless internet connectivity cost for corporate institutions by November this year.
He said the reforms would be implemented under its Corporate Reach Service programme which was unveiled last week.
An arrangement that would see the company's limited mobility licence upgraded to a total national mobility licence was awaiting approval from the Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK).
Through a broadband video streaming service, Telkom Kenya also plans to provide television services through its wireless technology in the near future.
Earlier this month, Telkom chaired the Information and Communication Technologies at the Humanitarian Development Summit in Kenya.
"Such involvement is an expression of unwavering commitment by Telkom and its subsidiaries to the attainment of human development in the continent," said John Joseph, Chief Executive Officer for Africa Online.
African Online is a Telkom subsidiary which is based in Nairobi, Kenya.
The summit focused on the central theme of the vast capital resources being applied to humanitarian relief and sustainable development from the private sector and global foundations, with the key issue being the most effective allocation and application of these resources.
Joseph added: "Telkom has demonstrated its commitment to community development and, through its Corporate Social Investment (CSI) efforts, it has always sought to contribute to the development of a sustainable future (for young people) based on solid foundations of education and knowledge."
He said that Africa Online will also launch its Africa Online ICT in Schools, a CSI initiative, which aims to make a contribution to the communities in which they operate.
During the launch, Africa Online will announce its adopted school to which it will donate computers worth R70 000.