Fibre Optic usage in Kenya has grown over the past few years and that means a lot of these cables have been laid around the country. Kenya Power has a huge network of electricity poles around the country and can be the perfect conduit to lay these cables.
Well, now Kenya Power has issued a communiqué on Twitter where the are cautioning telcos who use their poles to lay fibre optic cables.
“It has come to our attention that there are unlicensed telecommunication operators illegally stringing their fibre optic cables onto Kenya Power distribution poles to offer Internet, communication, television and other services to various households and businesses,” the notice said.
Kenya Powers that these illegal installations have caused accidents along roads and private homes and are “endangering public safety and life.” According to them, these actions constitute a breach of their “way-leave trace and safety clearances”.
The state parastatal has given these operators 14 days to remove these installations and they bear the responsibilities for consequential damages arising out of their actions. If they do not remove the installations, Kenya Power says that they will be at liberty to bring down the illegal networks.
This is a stern move by Kenyan Power to make sure that companies don’t get to ride on their extensive infrastructure to lay theirs. Kenya Power is in the fiber optic business where they have lease agreements with the likes of Safaricom, Liquid Telecom, JTL, Indigo Telecommunication and Wananchi Telecom. They have a Network Facility Provider Tier 2 licence with the Communications Authority of Kenya to provide such services.
