Kenya’s mobile phone industry is looking at ways to maintain its recent successes in the country, despite a price war that has ranged for much of the past year. In a recent study, published earlier this month, it revealed over 22 million Kenyans now have mobile phones and are using them more often.
According to John Lakami, a Kenyan IT analyst with the government, “the move to increase our users was successful, but the key is to sustain any new user and end the ongoing price battle in order to focus on services that are already being offered.”
He argued that while companies continue to battle over the price of calls and SMS, they are forgetting that the most important thing for their customers is service quality.
“I talk to people on a daily basis and one of their complaints is that they are not receiving promised service,” he continued. “The government can play a role, but it is ultimately up to the companies to take the initiative.”
Over the past 12 months, Lakami said, the IT and mobile sectors have been overhauled for the betterment of the future.
“But there are actions that need to be taken as an industry in order to create one of Africa’s best systems. We have that ability,” he said.
What needs to happen is an infrastructure boost that aims to develop the already existing technologies on the ground to bolster and improve the sector’s ability to provide fast and “quality services.”
He pointed out that the government hopes they can assist the sector in doing just that.
“We will issue some grants and help bolster infrastructure in joint projects. It should do wonders to giving our citizens the best mobile networks on the continent.”
By Staff
