ADDIS ABABA: Kenya's leading telecom operator Safaricom has said it is looking to boost its fiber-optic cable network fourfold over the next three years as it pushes forward on increasing Internet services and speed in the East African country. The company said in a statement that it will boost the fiber network from the current 600 kilometers to 2,400 kilometers, which it said would cost around KES 14 billion, in an effort to enter rural areas to see its penetration into the country increase. Safaricom CEO Bob Collymore told local media that the “next set of investments is going to be around fiber because Safaricom has a major dependency on fiber. “An additional 800 km is planned as phase one of the fiber rollout project," he said. The next phase of increasing the network is expected to last 18 months from the start of current financial year. “In the next three years, Safaricom will be working on extending the footprint by up to 500 km per year," Collymore said, adding that the first phase “will be implemented in Nairobi and will improve the firm's data services by replacing old and damaged cables."
