Earlier this month, M-Kopa announced it had closed a series D round of funding of $20 Million to fund its expansion to one million homes by 2018. The M-Kopa , a solar financier company has now announced the launch of a solar-powered television set. Kenya was one of the first countries to implement digital migration following a deadline set for 17th June 2015, where where all analogue TV signals were expected to be switched off world wide.
Kenya has an estimated 4.5 Million TV sets, with an estimated 2.2-2.3 million set top boxes. This leaves 2 million users without access to digital television, a factor also compounded by the lack of electricity.
M-KOPA TV is a digital flat screen TV, with an in-built decoder, which will give users access to 26 Free-to-air channels. The TV solution is being sold as a bundled product referred to as M-KOPA 400. It will include a 20W PV solar panel, a 16-inch digital TV, two lights, a torch, a phone charger, and a radio. The product can be purchased for a one-off fee of Kshs. 45,000 or by paying a deposit of Khs. 7,900 and daily payments of Kshs. 125 for a year.
Existing customers of M-KOPA have the option to upgrade, where they can continue paying Kshs. 50 for 2 years upon which they will own the television set. M-Kopa’s current customers purchase the power system at Kshs. 20,000 and includes a solar panel, two LED bulbs, an LED flashlight, a rechargeable radio, and adaptors for charging a phone.The service is currently rolled out to 500 customers with plans to expand to between 5,000-10,000 customers.
