The 15-year tower management and leasing deal is focused on both the maintenance of existing sites by Eaton Towers and the building of new sites.
This will help reduce operating costs and capital expenditure, while improving network coverage and quality, as well as reducing Orange’s overall carbon footprint.
Telkom Kenya Chief Executive Officer Mickael Ghossein says that the partnership will place them in a strong position to expand its network and develop innovative new services, in particular in rural areas.
Telkom Kenya will retain ownership of its existing portfolio of over 1,000 towers while Eaton Towers will invest in passive infrastructure upgrades and build new towers to provide Telkom Kenya with improved coverage and network quality.
In parallel, the partnership will create a solid platform that will allow Telkom Kenya to focus on developing value-added services such as innovative data offers as well as an enhanced customer care experience.
“We are confident that our agreement with Eaton Towers is a step in the right direction,” said Mickael Ghossein, Chief Executive Officer of Telkom Kenya.
Ghessein said that the partnership will place Telkom in a strong position to expand its network and develop innovative new services, in particular in rural areas, helping them achieve their ambition to provide the Kenyan population with excellent nation-wide coverage and relevant offers.
“Through this partnership, we will be able to reduce our operational costs and, at the same time, minimize the environmental impact of our network by reducing the use of diesel fuel,” he said.
Alan Harper, Chief Executive of Eaton Towers, said that they are delighted to be working in partnership with Telkom Kenya as the first infrastructure tower company to operate in Kenya.
“Eaton Towers’ expertise in tower management and its commitment to top-quality service will allow Telkom Kenya to expand and improve its network while optimizing costs,” Harper said.
The agreement represents an important step forward in Orange’s efforts to improve efficiency and control operating costs across its footprint in Africa.