Airtel Kenya, Telkom Kenya lagging in 4G rollout

Airtel Kenya and Telkom Kenya’s Orange face potential delays in receiving their respective 4G licenses because they have not installed 4G infrastructure or paid the KES2.5 billion ($24.9 million) licence fee for 4G spectrum.

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) revealed the lack of progress, noting the pair should by now have rolled out 4G on a trial basis, The Star reported. CA director general Francis Wangusi told the newspaper the operators “have indicated they have purchased the equipment, so we expect they will have them in place by March.”

In contrast, the nation’s leading operator Safaricom paid the fees and will receive its licence in coming weeks. “We have finalised the process and have agreed on licence conditions,” Wangusi said.

Safaricom launched an expansion programme in 2016 to increase its 4G base stations from 500 to more than 1,000 by December.

The CA is targetting the launch of countrywide high-speed internet coverage by March, and is eager to switch from 3G to 4G networks and enable operators to offer broadband-based TV broadcasts as part of the goal, The Star reported.

Airtel Kenya
Number two operator Airtel announced it will begin testing 4G in Nairobi next week, covering 40 new sites in the city before being expanded to 45 others in major towns. It will, of course, require a license before it can do this.

Airtel Kenya managing director Adil El Youssefi said the operator is not one of the African units of the parent Bharti Airtel which will be up for sale in a separate report by The Star.

He was referring to Bharti Airtel’s chairman Sunir Bharti Mittal’s comments from earlier this month announcing it is looking into the sale or merger of some of its African interests in an attempt to cut a $12 billion debt pile.

“The company remains committed to competing in the Kenyan market and providing choice to Kenyans by further investing in the rollout of 4G services in the next few months, and the continued expansion of its network coverage to ensure consistent delivery of quality and value for money services to its customers,” Youssefi told The Star.