Kenya telecoms to take new shape

Telkom says it’s not a price war; Kenyans say it is. But whatever you want to call the recent offer by Orange, it is good for the consumers.

The offer came a week after Zain offered the Vuka tariff, which allows cross-network calls at a flat rate. So far, Safaricom has only provided reduced costs on midnight calls, which does not benefit the majority.

Maybe it is time we see a change in the subscriber rates. Now the focus will be superior quality and customer care.

It is a good space to watch; the telecoms landscape will be assuming a new shape with the consumers more enlightened.

With the unified license, ISPs will now be offering converged services with free VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and now the question is interconnecting the free voice networks and GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) networks.

The competitors will try to tie consumers within their networks, but by the end of the year, the inter-connectivity charges may come down, and the new year will bring new issues.