Safaricom offers twice the speed

MOBILE

Safaricom subscribers in sections of Nairobi will from next week access the Internet at much faster speeds – up to 42 Mbps.

Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore said initial roll-out of the faster internet offer would involve subscribers in the firm’s Data Belt within the Central Business District, Kileleshwa, Kilimani and Westlands. The 42 Mbps trials started immediately after the launch of 21 Mbps last year.

Collymore said: “At Safaricom, our aim is to ‘democratise’ the internet and bring it to as many Kenyans as possible. With the launch of this upgrade that allows for faster speeds, we are demonstrating true leadership in this quest.”

He said the move was a direct response to consumer concerns and promised that the firm would continue listening and acting upon user feedback. Modems to support the speeds will be available later after the launch of the service.

When Safaricom last upgraded its speeds from 7.2 Mbps to 21 Mbps, the consumer data offering also included a Huawei E1820 modem to support the speeds.

Safaricom says it was the first Kenyan operator to commercially launch a 3G network in October 2007, ensuring that its subscribers accessed high speed mobile data. The technology was initially available in and around Nairobi but was later rolled throughout the country within a year.

It is described as Kenya’s widest 3G network with a growing fibre optic cable footprint and its most expansive WIMAX presence.