KENYA is increasingly becoming an African powerhouse in Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
The latest technology vehicle to take Kenya by storm is Econet Wireless International, which becomes the country’s fifth mobile phone service provider.
Residents who spoke to ITNewsAfrica.com reporters in a survey over the weekend said the coming in of Econet was a positive development as they had been subjected to paying exorbitant charges for the mobile phone calls.
The new player offers affordable rates, they said.
Even Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga gave a thumbs up to Econet’s arrival and urged other mobile service providers to emulate the company by reducing their rates and subsequently allow more people to have access to modern communication technology.
A regular mobile phone user, Forward Macharia, said before the coming in of Econet, using mobile cellular frequently was proving expensive.
“I am one of the proud subscribers to Econet Wireless and I do feel that life is good under this new service provider. The rates are cheaper and the network coverage throughout the country is almost 70 percent, thereby making Econet Wireless a people-oriented mobile cellular company.
“The arrival of Econet Wireless makes it a total of five cellular mobile companies in the country, but the majority of people, including myself, are hoping that the charges will be lowered throughout the industry to enable other citizens to access this critical service,” said Macharia.
His sentiments were echoed by Prince Onyango, who indicated that the support base for Econet could soon treble as the majority of Kenyans found the cellular mobile company’s rates accommodative.
He said technology was slowly covering the entire country, giving reason for the government to open up the industry to several players in the field of mobile communication.
“I would like to thank the government for allowing competition in information technology sector to take place in Kenya. I am thankful to the government’s approach because many people will now be proud owners of their own cellular mobile gadgets,” said Onyango.
The survey deliberately left out the mobile companies’ employees, management and owners, to avoid a public relations exercise that would favour their own companies.
“Competition is always healthy in life. Take a look today, Kenya is a technology powerhouse in east Africa. The reason our country has continuously dominated in almost everything is because of competition. I would like to call upon the government to allow more players in the telecommunications industry to kill the spirit of monopoly,” said Susan Wanjigi, a university student at Jomo Kenyatta University.
“Of course some companies that offer poor service delivery to the nation are not happy with competition, but with the coming in of Econet, we believe the move would make many people’s lives easier in as far as communication is concerned,” said Wanjigi
ITNewsAfrica.com, Kenya
