According to the latest statistics from Kenya’s Communications Authority (CA), the mobile operator Safaricom is gradually closing the gap with its competitor Wananchi Group in the fixed broadband segment.

The subsidiary of the Vodacom Group has, for the seventh consecutive quarter, managed to nibble market share. Safaricom went from 29.6% of the share in 2018 to 31.5% at the end of March 2019, while Wananchi Group went from 38% to 35%.

This dynamism, the telecom company explains by its investment in the fiber optic network. In its latest annual report, it states that it has deployed 1,000 km of additional fiber in 2018. In total, it has a fiber optic network of 6,700 km, which has doubled its fixed broadband subscriber base. It went from 141,700 to 297,885 households.

Safaricom’s progress has not been easy. The company explains: “Part of our growth has been accompanied by challenges, including reduced speeds due to large downloads and the introduction of the excise tax, which required a change in our rates. We completed infrastructure upgrades in September and October 2018 to increase capacity and meet the challenges of the home-based customer experience. “

Source: Agence Ecofin