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Exploit the system, ICT sector told

NAIROBI, Kenya, Jun 17 – Players in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector are being urged to take advantage of the incentives provided in the recently unveiled budget.

Kenya Data Network (KDN) Chief Executive Officer Kai Wulff stressed the need for generation of local content that can be used to support the increased bandwidth that will result from the landing of the submarine fibre optic cable.

Mr Wulff observed that the government has tried its best to create a favorable environment to spur investment within the sector and the onus remained with the industry to take up the challenge.

“The government is creating hosting centers, setting up BPO incubators and the timely landing of The East African Marine Cable (TEAMS)can be said to be doing enough, now it’s up to the citizens to take up what is there and run with it,” Mr Wulff said citing incentives like VAT exemption of mobile phone handsets and zero rating of computer hardware. 

Meanwhile, KDN and Alcatel-Lucent have entered into a Sh1.6 billion three-year agreement for supply, integration, installation and deployment for Alcatel-Lucent’s optical networking and optical switching solutions for KDN’s network across the country and in the East African region.

“The total investment portfolio which KDN intends to spend this year, including the submarine initiative, is in excess of $200 million, that is all part of this package,” Mr Wullf noted.

He explained that the new network would enable his company increase capacity, efficiency and intelligence of its existing infrastructure.

Deployment of the Alcatel-Lucent solution will start from Mombasa, then to Nairobi before extending to the major links connecting Kenya with neighboring countries.
 

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