Kenya Power to connect rural homes with internet

In an attempt to cut losses, Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) has revealed its plan to connect millions of customers in rural homes with high-speed internet.

Previously, KPLC has been leasing fibre-optic cables attached to its transmission lines to Internet service providers. Due to an increase in demand for internet, the electricity distributor is confident of rivaling all other internet providers.

“In the medium to long-term, the company is exploring the lit fibre business to increase the penetration of internet connectivity, particularly in the rural areas,” said Kenya Power in its latest annual report.

Kenya Power is at an advantage as compared to already existing Internet Service Providers (ISPs) due to its recent expansion of electricity penetration across the country which saw them connect to millions of potential customers in rural areas.

An ISP is an organization that provides a myriad of services for accessing, using, or participating in the Internet. Current ISPs in Kenya include; Telkom Kenya, Kenya Data Networks, Safaricom, Jamii Telecoms, AccessKenya, Essar Telecoms and Wananchi Group.

In an attempt to reduce the cost of expensive infrastructure support involving the digging of trenches to lay terrestrial cables, ISPs decided to collaborate with KPLC where the former benefits from the latter's national grid by connecting cables in already existing poles.

“The company’s extensive fibre network presently offers dark fibre services to the country’s major ISPs to facilitate the provision of Internet services to the end buyer in the retail and enterprise segments across the country and neighbouring countries,” said the utility company.

High-speed Internet was expected to spur e-commerce among rural folk who have been left out of the digital revolution because of poor infrastructure and the high cost of satellite-based platforms.