Airtel Kenya has announced an investment of almost US$190mn in Kenya over the next three years in various programmes to improve the quality of its service
The investment plan will cover network upgrades for Airtel’s voice and data services and shops, brand equity development, customer service improvement, staff training programmes and community development programmes across the country.
The first phase of its network upgrade programme has already been completed in some cities. It included a comprehensive change of legacy hardware and expansion of radio network elements that are improving network signals and voice quality for customers.
The second phase of the upgrade currently underway will improve data speeds and offer a stable and faster Internet service. In this phase, Nokia Networks will enhance Airtel’s network capacity and robustness that will allow the telecom company to deliver faster data speeds.
Airtel is also opening 23 new shops across the country that will allow the company to offer a variety of products and service offerings ranging from modems, latest handsets and data devices to Airtel Money, post-paid and prepaid services, data settings, bill payments and airtime.
Part of the investment will go towards the company’s flagship community development programmes, such as its ‘Internet for Schools’ programme that has so far provided free Internet to more than 250,000 students in about 130 schools in the country.
Airtel hopes to be 4G LTE-ready in Kenya at the end 2015.
