Kenya ready to roll out $ 500 million high-speed 4G network by 2013

NAIROBI: Kenya aims to roll out a
high-speed fourth-generation (4G)
mobile data services network by
2013, at an estimated cost of $500
million, to meet growing demand
for wireless access to the internet
in East Africa's largest economy.
Bitange Ndemo, permanent
secretary at the ministry of
information and communication,
told Reuters that all Kenyan mobile
phone firms had signed up to the
new project and it was now
awaiting approval from the ministry
of finance.
"We need to have it (the network)
before the next elections (due in
March 2013). That is what we are
targeting," he said late Thursday on
the sidelines of a US-Kenya
conference on infrastructure
projects.
So-called 4G LTE (long term
evolution) networks promise
download speeds more than five
times those of 3G and are designed
for data, rather than voice, as well
as supporting high-definition video
conferencing.
Data is seen as a major growth area
in the telecoms sector, prompting
firms to invest heavily to offset the
impact of falling voice revenues on
the back of a price war.
At present, Safaricom, 40 percent
owned by Britain's Vodafone, is the
only network in Kenya to have fully
rolled out a 3G network across the
country and is already testing the
LTE technology at five sites.
Other firms with 3G licenses are
Telkom Kenya, controlled by France
Telecom's Orange, and the Kenyan
unit of India's Bharti Airtel. Both
Orange and Airtel are in the
process of rolling out 3G networks
countrywide.
The first phase would involve
rolling out the 4G network to the
country's 47 counties at a cost of $
100 million, a figure that would rise
further in the next phase that
would see the new service
connected to the entire country's
network.
"We have finished with the study.
We have sent it to the Ministry of
Finance. We are just waiting for the
approval and then we hit the road,"
Ndemo said.
"Phase one... we will go to the
counties, and leveraging on the
existing base stations, but by the
time we cover everywhere it would
be even up to $500 million," he
said.
Mobile carriers worldwide are
increasingly upgrading to LTE
networks that support high-speed
wireless services as consumers
use tablet computers and
smartphones to surf the web.
In September, the ministry said
potential investors should have at
least a 20 percent Kenyan
shareholding and the financial and
technical capability to roll out
commercial services to the
country's 47 counties within a year
of forming a partnership with the
government.
Mobile phone users in the country
of 40 million people grew by 12.5
percent to 28.1 million in the last
quarter of 2011.
Internet users nearly doubled to
17.4 million in the period, thanks
to an increase in mobile phone
subscriptions, the industry
regulator said.
Safaricom said it was looking to
increase performance of its data
segment through increased
investments in fiber during the
release of its 2011 results last
week.
Ndemo said once the 4G project
got a green light, it would take six
to seven months to be rolled-out
countywide. The government's plan
is to give the 4G spectrum to
operators, and for the companies
to fund network deployment.
The second phase of the project
would involve connecting all the
country's mobile phone base
stations to fiber optic cable. In
addition to the mobile operators,
data network operators and
equipment suppliers would take
part in the project.
"It's an open access model. We
can't set it (the special purpose
vehicle for delivering the project)
up until we get the approval from
Treasury. They can take one month,
or two months. But it's going to be
very soon," Ndemo said.
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arabnews.com/kenya-ready-roll-out-500-million-high-speed-4g-network-2013
kenya ni nchi mbaya sana na tafadhali wale wana wivu na chuki wazielekeze kwa hu mtandao wa arab news na reuters ulio chapisha hii habari. nikigeuza dollar 500 za kimarekani kwa tanzania shillings ni Trillioni mia 800!!!! MAMA !!!!!

Nairoberry said:

arabnews.com/kenya-ready-roll-out-500-million-high-speed-4g-network-2013
kenya ni nchi mbaya sana na tafadhali wale wana wivu na chuki wazielekeze kwa hu mtandao wa arab news na reuters ulio chapisha hii habari. nikigeuza dollar 500 za kimarekani kwa tanzania shillings ni Trillioni mia 800!!!! MAMA !!!!!

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Hizi ni sawa na Billion 800 and not Trillion!

Priorities za waafrika zinachekesha sana, nchi ambayo wananchi wake wanakufa kila siku kutokana na uhaba wa chakula wanatumia mabilioni kwa ajili ya mtandao. Na kuna watu hapa wanashangilia hapa wanayaona hayo ni maendeleo...

Rufiji said:

Priorities za waafrika zinachekesha sana, nchi ambayo wananchi wake wanakufa kila siku kutokana na uhaba wa chakula wanatumia mabilioni kwa ajili ya mtandao. Na kuna watu hapa wanashangilia hapa wanayaona hayo ni maendeleo...

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i think your joking, the development scale can be measured from very many angles from food basket capacity, technology, education/HR, PPP, transportation infrastructure, service sector devt and many more instruments.......NB:all of this have to be balanced to make an economy stand out. Stay cool, its called diversfying your economy base plus treasury is well advised.

livefire said:

i think your joking, the development scale can be measured from very many angles from food basket capacity, technology, education/HR, PPP, transportation infrastructure, service sector devt and many more instruments.......NB:all of this have to be balanced to make an economy stand out. Stay cool, its called diversfying your economy base plus treasury is well advised.

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It seems you are so myopic, and fankly speaking you don't understand what you are talking about. Please, go and read Maslow's hierachy of needs and you will get my point.

Rufiji said:

It seems you are so myopic, and fankly speaking you don't understand what you are talking about. Please, go and read Maslow's hierachy of needs and you will get my point.

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maslows hierachy of needs doesnt rep the countrys needs plus we are no first world state mate....maslows hierachy of needs satisfy individual needs by priority and level of satsfaction. how can u equate that to a states needs? The dynamics are so complex mate. if u want a discussion reply with an engaging tone we will rough it fair and square. Under five minutes and already i see loopholes in your theories....wonder what youl throw next...

I understand how such an investment would be strange for someone from a country with a non- existent ICT sector. The ICT sector alone is set to expand Kenya's economy 17 times is within the next decade. This is an example of the enablers needed for that. This fact does not compute for the Loliondo mindset!

Rufiji said:

Priorities za waafrika zinachekesha sana, nchi ambayo wananchi wake wanakufa kila siku kutokana na uhaba wa chakula wanatumia mabilioni kwa ajili ya mtandao. Na kuna watu hapa wanashangilia hapa wanayaona hayo ni maendeleo...

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Bora hizi pesa zingeenda kwa watu wenye njaa ambao wanazungumziwa hapa chini.
You Missed This: Poor Sad Kenyans Nailed on the Cross

livefire said:

maslows hierachy of needs doesnt rep the countrys needs plus we are no first world state mate....maslows hierachy of needs satisfy individual needs by priority and level of satsfaction. how can u equate that to a states needs? The dynamics are so complex mate. if u want a discussion reply with an engaging tone we will rough it fair and square. Under five minutes and already i see loopholes in your theories....wonder what youl throw next...

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What you have narrated clearly illustrates lack of critical thinking. Indeed, if one would analyze Maslow's hierarchy of needs on a nut-shell will reach to same conclusion as yours - it applies only to individuals but not to country. The question that we ought to ask ourselves is it possible to define a country without talking about individuals (people) residing in that country.

It doesn't make sense for a poor country like Kenya to spend millions of dollars for High Speed Internet while millions of her citizens are living under abject poverty. Frankly speaking, Kenyans are so obsessed with mimicking the West and they have forgotten that many citizens are struggling to make ends meet (they are stuck on physiological needs level). On the other hand, Western countries are self actualization level that is the reason they can afford fast internet.

Rufiji said:

What you have narrated clearly illustrates lack of critical thinking. Indeed, if one would analyze Maslow's hierarchy of needs on a nut-shell will reach to same conclusion as yours - it applies only to individuals but not to country. The question that we ought to ask ourselves is it possible to define a country without talking about individuals (people) residing in that country.

It doesn't make sense for a poor country like Kenya to spend millions of dollars for High Speed Internet while millions of her citizens are living under abject poverty. Frankly speaking, Kenyans are so obsessed with mimicking the West and they have forgotten that many citizens are struggling to make ends meet (they are stuck on physiological needs level). On the other hand, Western countries are self actualization level that is the reason they can afford fast internet.

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The point here is that the only way to meet the material needs of the people is to grow the economy such that we become productive enough to meet our needs. That's what projects like these aim to acheive and, therefore, it makes perfect sense. Think man!

Rufiji said:

What you have narrated clearly illustrates lack of critical thinking. Indeed, if one would analyze Maslow's hierarchy of needs on a nut-shell will reach to same conclusion as yours - it applies only to individuals but not to country. The question that we ought to ask ourselves is it possible to define a country without talking about individuals (people) residing in that country.

It doesn't make sense for a poor country like Kenya to spend millions of dollars for High Speed Internet while millions of her citizens are living under abject poverty. Frankly speaking, Kenyans are so obsessed with mimicking the West and they have forgotten that many citizens are struggling to make ends meet (they are stuck on physiological needs level). On the other hand, Western countries are self actualization level that is the reason they can afford fast internet.

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brother, what you are really trying to say is correct, but applies to individuals. Shed the critical thinking guise. Infact maslows theory is used to motivate employees to have better yield in the many workshops we conduct, in seminars it is used to make students have the fire to want to achieve more...how do this theory embed neatly in the national matrix? It simply flops..it doesnt add up. Infact maslows theory in my economic class was simply highlighted, only given more light in an ethics exclusive unit as deals with personal modelling and actualization to a great extent. Put the govt in its place and you realise its not a workable piece of concept. The govt instead deal with better structured theories suppoerted by mathematical verification.
Read on
1) trend growth theory
2) neo classical theory
3) endogenous growth theory

all the above will explain and where need be have a workable formulae to justify certain investments as the above. So we invest in food only? Total joke of the year fella.

livefire said:

brother, what you are really trying to say is correct, but applies to individuals. Shed the critical thinking guise. Infact maslows theory is used to motivate employees to have better yield in the many workshops we conduct, in seminars it is used to make students have the fire to want to achieve more...how do this theory embed neatly in the national matrix? It simply flops..it doesnt add up. Infact maslows theory in my economic class was simply highlighted, only given more light in an ethics exclusive unit as deals with personal modelling and actualization to a great extent. Put the govt in its place and you realise its not a workable piece of concept. The govt instead deal with better structured theories suppoerted by mathematical verification.
Read on
1) trend growth theory
2) neo classical theory
3) endogenous growth theory

all the above will explain and where need be have a workable formulae to justify certain investments as the above. So we invest in food only? Total joke of the year fella.

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Livefire,

Please, don't put words into my mouth! I didn't say that Kenya should invest in food only; but rather, should set its priorities straight. They should first tackle important issues which afflict millions of Kenyans and stop acting like a developed country. It is imperative for you and other elites to understand that many people in Kenya lives rural areas and they do rely on farming for livelihood. To make a long story short, internet let alone fast internet is not their priority momentarily.

I think every country have ministries,this project falls under the ministry of information n technology(kenya)-its duty is 2 ensure kenyans have modern technology n faster acess 2 internet n many more services.every ministry is allocated certain amount for its daily activities,xo sayin this money shud help the poor is out of context coz there r ministries 4 that n theyr also alocated funds(although ufisadi takes it share)

Rufiji said:

Livefire,

Please, don't put words into my mouth! I didn't say that Kenya should invest in food only; but rather, should set its priorities straight. They should first tackle important issues which afflict millions of Kenyans and stop acting like a developed country. It is imperative for you and other elites to understand that many people in Kenya lives rural areas and they do rely on farming for livelihood. To make a long story short, internet let alone fast internet is not their priority momentarily.

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hahaha,
ok i heard you but mark you i clearly indicated in my post that u were quick to trash that besides technology, the govt has invested on several other disciplines. Get a reread.
About internet, 4 gen connectivity serves a variety of purposes beside fast connectivity. It exclusively deals with data service (not voice), does MPESA click the need of this technology, we leave in a competitive world Rufiji. Case settled by my standards, ama its actualization level.lol.

My 125 said:

I think every country have ministries,this project falls under the ministry of information n technology(kenya)-its duty is 2 ensure kenyans have modern technology n faster acess 2 internet n many more services.every ministry is allocated certain amount for its daily activities,xo sayin this money shud help the poor is out of context coz there r ministries 4 that n theyr also alocated funds(although ufisadi takes it share)

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exactly the point

Rufiji said:

Priorities za waafrika zinachekesha sana, nchi ambayo wananchi wake wanakufa kila siku kutokana na uhaba wa chakula wanatumia mabilioni kwa ajili ya mtandao. Na kuna watu hapa wanashangilia hapa wanayaona hayo ni maendeleo...

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Mkuu, bila shaka wataikumbuka Tanzania wakati walipo pata baa la njaa nchini mwao mahindi yetu yaliwasaidia sana, hii ndio maana alisi ya kuwa na jirana mwema. Kuna Wakenya wengine wanajua sana kujieleza vizuri na kuleta vitu vyenye substance - chukulia mtu kama Livefire, Smatta, Moto na Mzallendo ingawa wakati mwingine wanatumia lugha kali lakini unajuwa wakati mwingine wako sincere. Inapokuja kwa wale waliobaki unashindwa kabisa kuwaelewa, leo watasema ni Wakenya kesho ni Watanzania kuna thread fulani niliwahi kuisoma humu ni mtu racist vibaya sana yaani niki-reproduce humu Wakenya na Blacks wote duniani watashtuka sana, msimuone hapo huyu jamaa anatumia lugha za ki-neo NAZI ana mawazo ya kishetani kuliko Hitler, kila mtu mweuzi yeye anamuona ni takataka tu; we sema tu is a master of disguise kwenye forum hii anajifanya kuwa binadamu lakini deep down ni mtu racist wa kutupwa! Angekuwa Tanzania mimi nige-press charges dhidi yake I mean IT, kuna wakati fulani Mkenya mwenzake alimuonya lakini kwa bahati mbaya naona watu hawakumuelewa, nikitoa mambo anayo andika ndiyo mtamuelewa.

Mara zote huwa anahanzisha thread alafu baadae anatumia thread hiyo hiyo kuisema vibaya TANZANIA mtu unashindwa kumuelewa anachotaka ku-put across ni nini hasa au kina manufaa gani katika nchi zetu za Africa Mashariki, badala ya kuleta mambo mazuri ya kushauriana na kuelimishana kama majirani, wanapoteza muda kuleta mambo ya kitoto tu eti sijuhi Kenya imefanya nini! itawachukua Watanzania light years kupata mafanikio kama hayo, akili zake ziko katika mambo ya ushindani usio na mantiki yoyote! Niliwahi kuwambia kwamba hata America illikuwa na jeuri na majigambo kama haya lakini sasa hivi hiko wapi - wanakwenda kuwaomba msaada wa kipesa Wachina si hilo tu juzi juzi Wamerikani wakawapeleka Wakuu wa majeshi wa China kwenye kituo chao cha Navy (sina uhakika ni kituo gani) Wamerika wakawa transparent na kuwaonyesha Wachina silaha zao, si hilo tu wakawaomba Wachina wasiwe wanaigilia mifumo ya kompyuta zao kupitia kwenye internet, hii nafikili ingekuwa SOMO tosha kwa majirani zetu kwamba mnaweza kufikili wenzenu wamelala usingizi, kweli kuna vitu tulikuwa tuna-lag behind not anymore tunajipanga vizuri tu na serikali yetu hilo imekwisha ling'amua inalifanyia kazi, vile vile nataka kuwakumbusha kwamba Tanzania wapo wataalamu mahili sana wa kuheshimika. Kuna Mkenya mmoja alifikili Tanzania hakuna wataalamu wa kujenga barabara, mambo ya ajabu SANA!

Back to the point, nataka kuwafahamisha kwa kifupi wenzangu kwamba mwaka jana kampuni ya WaTanzania wafanya biashara alihanza kufunga vifaa vya mawasiliano kwa ajili ya mawasiliano wakitumia (WiMax na LTE) kampuni inajulikana kama 4G mobile TZ, ni kampuni ambayo inamilikiwa na wazawa 100% na ndiyo itakuwa ya kwanza kutumia broadband kwa ajili ya DATA na VOICE nchini Tanzania. Kampuni hii inategemea kupunguza gharama za mawasiliano, kutoa kasi nzuri ya throughput yenye kiwango cha kuanzia 70 Mbps on down link and 30 Mbps on up link, tekinolojia itakayo tumika ni Wimax na LTE. Ninacho taka kusema hapa ni kwamba siyo kwamba Tanzania haijuhi kwenda na wakati tunafanya vitu kimya kimya bila ya makuu, hii ina maana Kenya itakuwa nchi ya pili katika East Africa kuafata mkondo huu - siyo kwamba ndio mlio anzisha.

Hizi tabia za ku-dramatise mambo as if 4G tekinolojia ya ajabu sana, kwa hiyo itakuwa confined tu kwa nchi zenye uwezo sijuhi nini ni kitu cha kushangaza sana, na kinakuwa kibaya zaidi mtoa habari anapokuwa mbumbumbu katika tekinolojia ya mawasiliano wanazungumza chochote kinacho wajia kichwani bila ya kufanya utafiti, kwani haya mambo ya 4G iwe LTE au Wimax mbona ni mambo ya kawaida sana Taifa lolote linaweza ku-roll out teknolojia hii muda wowote wakitaka. Labda nimkumbushe kwamba si Tanzania, Kenya au Uganda wenye uwezo wa kuhunda vifaa hivi vya mawasiliano wote tunanunua kutoka aidha Uchina kwenye makampuni ya Hauwei au ZTE na huko Ulaya vinapatikana kutoka Ericsson ya Sweden hela yako tu. Muache tabia ya kuwa mna-blow vitu out of proportion.

Bukyanagandi said:

Back to the point, nataka kuwafahamisha kwa kifupi wenzangu kwamba mwaka jana kampuni ya WaTanzania wafanya biashara alihanza kufunga vifaa vya mawasiliano kwa ajili ya mawasiliano wakitumia (WiMax na LTE) kampuni inajulikana kama 4G mobile TZ, ni kampuni ambayo inamilikiwa na wazawa 100% na ndiyo itakuwa ya kwanza kutumia broadband kwa ajili ya DATA na VOICE nchini Tanzania. Kampuni hii inategemea kupunguza gharama za mawasiliano, kutoa kasi nzuri ya throughput yenye kiwango cha kuanzia 70 Mbps on down link and 30 Mbps on up link, tekinolojia itakayo tumika ni Wimax na LTE. Ninacho taka kusema hapa ni kwamba siyo kwamba Tanzania haijuhi kwenda na wakati tunafanya vitu kimya kimya bila ya makuu, hii ina maana Kenya itakuwa nchi ya pili katika East Africa kuafata mkondo huu - siyo kwamba ndio mlio anzisha.

Hizi tabia za ku-dramatise mambo as if 4G tekinolojia ya ajabu sana, kwa hiyo itakuwa confined tu kwa nchi zenye uwezo sijuhi nini ni kitu cha kushangaza sana, na kinakuwa kibaya zaidi mtoa habari anapokuwa mbumbumbu katika tekinolojia ya mawasiliano wanazungumza chochote kinacho wajia kichwani bila ya kufanya utafiti, kwani haya mambo ya 4G iwe LTE au Wimax mbona ni mambo ya kawaida sana Taifa lolote linaweza ku-roll out teknolojia hii muda wowote wakitaka. Labda nimkumbushe kwamba si Tanzania, Kenya au Uganda wenye uwezo wa kuhunda vifaa hivi vya mawasiliano wote tunanunua kutoka aidha Uchina kwenye makampuni ya Hauwei au ZTE na huko Ulaya vinapatikana kutoka Ericsson ya Sweden hela yako tu. Muache tabia ya kuwa mna-blow vitu out of proportion.

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Bukyanagandi, nimecheka sana, kuna mdau ana-suggest ICT Tanzania ni kama haipo? Pamoja na ukubwa wake, sasa hivi mikoa yote Tanzania iko linked na Fibre optic. Hizi publicity Kagame kidogo aingie mkenge maana aliamini the best link ilikuwa Kenya, alikuja kushtuka at 11th na kesho yake watu wake waliamkia office za ZANTEL. Sasa hivi Rwanda iko linked na TZ na Kenya ameichukua kama 'backup'. Kwa kifupi ICT ya Tanzania iko swafi, na naongea kutoka jikoni.

Rufiji said:

Priorities za waafrika zinachekesha sana, nchi ambayo wananchi wake wanakufa kila siku kutokana na uhaba wa chakula wanatumia mabilioni kwa ajili ya mtandao. Na kuna watu hapa wanashangilia hapa wanayaona hayo ni maendeleo...

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..nani amekuambia hizo ni pesa za serikali/taxpayer? FYI hizo ni investment za private companies serikali haihusiki hapo na YES ni maendeleo makubwa sana hayo

Koba said:

..nani amekuambia hizo ni pesa za serikali/taxpayer? FYI hizo ni investment za private companies serikali haihusiki hapo na YES ni maendeleo makubwa sana hayo

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"We have finished with the study.We have sent it to the Ministry of Finance. We are just waiting for the approval and then we hit the road," Ndemo said.