• Latest
  • All
  • How To
Aldo Mareuse Telkom Kenya

Building Modern Networks Key to Harnessing Kenya’s Data Opportunity

October 5, 2017
Why Can'y You Register a Safaricom SIM Card After 7 PM

Why You Cannot Register a Safaricom SIM Card After 7 PM

July 10, 2025
Former Safaricom Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Cynthia Karuri-Kropac

Frankline Okata Takes Over as Cynthia Karuri-Kropac Exits Safaricom PLC

July 10, 2025
AI

OpenAI and Perplexity Launch Browsers to Rival Google Chrome

July 10, 2025
Vivo-Y29-4G

Vivo Y29 Launches in Kenya at KES 23,999

July 10, 2025
DHgate Tablet Cases deals
galaxy z fold7-galaxy z flip7-samsung

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 with Bigger Screens

July 10, 2025
GTA VI

Rockstar May Be Testing 96-Player Servers for GTA 6

July 10, 2025
Former X CEO, Linda Yaccarino

Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years

July 9, 2025
Apple-WWDC25-iOS-26

iPhone Users Are Not Too Happy With the iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design

July 9, 2025
Official document handover by Bernard Mwonyonyo and Habib Lukaya from Roam.

E-Mobility in Kenya Gets a Lift with New Bike Financing Program

July 9, 2025
Samsung

This Samsung Security Update Could Change How You Use Your Phone

July 9, 2025
tecno ultimate g fold concept

TECNO Joins Tri-Fold Race With Ultimate G Fold Concept Phone

July 10, 2025
Microsoft Edge browser

Microsoft Makes Edge 40% Faster in a Bid to Lure Chrome Users

July 8, 2025
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
No Result
View All Result

Building Modern Networks Key to Harnessing Kenya’s Data Opportunity

Aldo Mareuse by Aldo Mareuse
October 5, 2017
in Editorial, Opinion
Reading Time: 3 mins read
262
0
Aldo Mareuse Telkom Kenya

Aldo Mareuse, CEO Telkom Kenya

Aldo Mareuse Telkom KenyaKenya’s mobile industry is on the verge of a second wave of growth. This new burst of growth, that is already underway, is largely driven by data and will catapult the industry to deliver even more value-added services.

Voice and SMS fueled the first wave of growth for the industry when it premiered at the turn of the millennium, significantly disrupting lives in Kenya. About one and a half decades later, growth in these segments is slowing down and seems to have hit an ebb. Previously, the mainstay of telcos’ top-line, voice and SMS are maturing, with their growth increasingly being outpaced by data.

The emergence of data as a key strategic area and the next frontier for growth in the industry tracks similar trends in other developed markets. Together with mobile money that has already found multiple applications and placed Kenya on the global innovation map, data is expected to progressively shore up its contribution to telcos’ balance sheets.

Driven by increased penetration of the smartphone, as affordable entry-level devices become more available, data is shaping up as the new battleground for the industry. Demand for smartphones and data has been substantially driven by an increasing number of tech-savvy, middle-class consumers with substantial disposable incomes. There are 21.5 million mobile data subscriptions in Kenya, according to latest statistics from the Communication Authority – accounting for 99 per cent of all the Internet subscriptions in the country.

Similar trends, though at varying rates, have been recorded across markets in sub-Saharan Africa. The GSM Association estimates that there are nearly 200 million smartphone connections on the continent, which translates into one in every four mobile connections. The trajectory of Internet penetration in Kenya is expected to continue rising, buoyed by the country’s aspiration to deliver universal access to the Internet, in line with the country’s long term socio-economic development blueprint, Vision 2030.

Through the National Broadband Strategy, Kenya aims at providing always-on Internet across the country to individuals, homes and businesses, as a strategy for unlocking a plethora of socio-economic benefits. Such benefits include new job opportunities, enhancing access to government services, boosting education and training and buttressing national safety and security initiatives. The adoption of e-government, Constituency Innovation Hubs and the Digital Learning Programme, among other government-led initiatives, have set the stage for even more Internet penetration.

So far, the data explosion, from an industry standpoint, is causing a shift in the traditional telco model. For instance, Over The Top applications (OTTs) such as WhatsApp and Skype, which initially caused disquiet in the industry, attracting condemnation for cannibalising traditional calls and messaging, are opening up fresh opportunities. Since they run on data, telcos have realised they can still make money off them.

This is the reason the industry continues making sustained investment in cutting edge technologies such as 4G networks that deliver faster download and upload speeds. At the moment, many urban centres across Kenya enjoy coverage of this high-speed service with ongoing efforts to expand it to the rest of the country. At Telkom, for instance so far, we have 4G coverage in 32 towns and urban centres.

Alongside these strategic rollouts, which support access to the Internet, the role of telcos is two-fold – leveraging the opportunity for commercial reasons, while delivering value to subscribers. This is hinged on reliability of service and best value for subscribers. Data is more than just a luxury today; it helps deliver critical socio-economic benefits.

Ultimately, all trends in the utilization of the Internet and efforts to grow it further, fit very well into Kenya’s ambition to become an international and regional ICT center. Already, the country is home to one of Africa’s most vibrant “techie” communities, a feature that continues to attract the attention of Silicon Valley, the world’s foremost innovation hub, and indeed the rest of the globe. The future looks even brighter with all these efforts driven by the private sector and government. Kenya is sitting on a huge data opportunity that does indeed need to be fully harnessed.

Tags: Mobile DataTelkom Kenya
SendShare147Tweet92
Aldo Mareuse

Aldo Mareuse

Aldo Mareuse is the Chief Executive Officer of Telkom Kenya Limited

Related Posts

Elon Musk's SpaceX Aims to Expand Satellite Capabilities with New Rules

Safaricom’s Feud With Starlink: A GoK Proxy War or a Business Gambit?

January 25, 2025
home internet wifi prices in kenya

How Kenyans connect to the Internet from Submarine Cable Infrastructure, ISPs to Personal Devices

January 25, 2025
Peter Ndegwa Safaricom

Safaricom Loses Market Share for Second Straight Quarter

February 5, 2024
Communication Authority of Kenya new Mobile Termination Rates

Making Calls Across Different Networks Set to Be Cheaper for Kenyans

February 2, 2024
Fixed data Internet service providers kenya

Fixed Data: Safaricom Leads, Zuku Drop Continues, Poa! Growing

September 19, 2023
Telkom Kenya interruptions

Telkom Service Outages: The Cumulation of Bad Service Provision and Controversy

June 23, 2023

Latest

Why Can'y You Register a Safaricom SIM Card After 7 PM

Why You Cannot Register a Safaricom SIM Card After 7 PM

July 10, 2025
Former Safaricom Chief Enterprise Business Officer, Cynthia Karuri-Kropac

Frankline Okata Takes Over as Cynthia Karuri-Kropac Exits Safaricom PLC

July 10, 2025
AI

OpenAI and Perplexity Launch Browsers to Rival Google Chrome

July 10, 2025
Vivo-Y29-4G

Vivo Y29 Launches in Kenya at KES 23,999

July 10, 2025
galaxy z fold7-galaxy z flip7-samsung

Samsung Unveils Galaxy Z Fold7 and Z Flip7 with Bigger Screens

July 10, 2025
GTA VI

Rockstar May Be Testing 96-Player Servers for GTA 6

July 10, 2025

Best devices

budget smartwatches 2025

Best Budget Smartwatches To Buy in Kenya 2025

February 13, 2025

Best Infinix Smartphones To Buy in Kenya 2024

February 13, 2025

Best Laptops for Battery Life in 2024

August 21, 2024

Best “Battery Warrior” Smartphones To Buy in 2024

August 22, 2024

Why You Cannot Register a Safaricom SIM Card After 7 PM

July 10, 2025

Frankline Okata Takes Over as Cynthia Karuri-Kropac Exits Safaricom PLC

July 10, 2025

Techweez is a fast growing influential source of technology news, reviews and analysis by leading tech geeks in the industry.

Follow Us

Editorials

Abductions and Arrests! Kenyan Government’s Fear and Hate of X Users Makes No Sense

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

Samsung QLED TVs Now Officially Certified for Real Quantum Dot Technology

Trump’s Tariffs Will Be the End of Affordable Tech

5 Ways to Prep Your Tech for Resale

The Weaponization of PDFs: How Cybercriminals Are Exploiting a Trusted Format

More News

Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years

iPhone Users Are Not Too Happy With the iOS 26 Liquid Glass Design

E-Mobility in Kenya Gets a Lift with New Bike Financing Program

This Samsung Security Update Could Change How You Use Your Phone

TECNO Joins Tri-Fold Race With Ultimate G Fold Concept Phone

Microsoft Makes Edge 40% Faster in a Bid to Lure Chrome Users

  • Terms Of Use
  • Techweez Brand
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!

Hey there! Just a heads-up: we're big fans of cookies - both the digital and edible kind! 🍪 We use our cookies and some from third parties to ensure your browsing experience on our site is smooth sailing and secure.

 

But wait, there's more! We also use cookies to gather stats and insights on how you navigate our site. It's like getting a behind-the-scenes peek at your digital adventures!

 

Don't worry, you're in control. You can adjust your cookie settings anytime to suit your preferences. Feeling curious? Dive into our Privacy Policy for all the juicy details. Happy browsing! 🚀

Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
  • Automotive
  • Entertainment

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.