Safaricom to acquire Wimax companies

Kenyan mobile operator Safaricom plans to acquire more internet providers in order to reduce its reliance on the voice market. As the voice market is hit by price wars, the mobile operator aims to expand in data services, reports Business Daily.

CEO Michael Joseph said the operator is actively scouting for more Wimax frequencies in order to underpin its leadership in the data area. The acquisition of existing operators is the favoured strategy due to challenges obtaining more radio frequencies, Joseph said. The announcement comes days after the firm received regulatory approvals to buy two data operators, Instaconnect and IGO Wireless, a WiMax operator.
This brings to three the number of Wimax operators under its belt after it acquired One Communication and Packet Stream Data Networks. The Communications Commission of Kenya (CCK) said it has licensed 18 companies for Wimax frequencies, including the three acquired by Safaricom.