While Kenya has a lot of bandwidth available for Internet users, Joseph Mucheru, Google SSA Ambassador and Kenya Country Lead, believes that the country’s total bandwidth consumption is only a small fraction of its total Internet capacity.
Mucheru is of the opinion that a public hotspot will solve the low uptake of Internet users, and said that the country is only using 6 percent of the national Internet capacity of 8400G.
“Giving people access to the Internet via Wazi Wi-fi will help improve penetration of the Internet and utilization of the capacity we have, that is currently underused. The cost structure of the service helps break the cost barrier, which limits number of people using the Internet,” he said.
According to Capital FM, “Wazi Wi-Fi is an initiative by Google, Wananchi Group Ltd, and other businesses which aims to provide affordable, on-the-go, Internet to the public. Wazi WiFi is currently rolling out hundreds of wireless hotspots including mall, cafes, restaurants and bars.”
Users can access the service by paying a daily or monthly subscription fee, which will in terms allow them to access high speed Internet.
Riyaz Bachani, Group CTO at Wananchi Group added that a number of hotspots are already operational in Nairobi, and that Wananchi Group will be adding more in the future. “We have a good number of hotspots in Nairobi and we are looking to increase our reach to other towns to net in more customers and spread the benefit of Internet.”
Charlie Fripp – Consumer tech editor
