Mobile phone firms to work under new rules
Communication Commission of Kenya director general Francis Wangusi. PHOTO/FILE
What you need to know:
- Sector regulator says new laws to be released in September, meant to force operators to share facilities
The Communication Commission of Kenya will in September release a new set of guidelines requiring mobile operators to share infrastructure as it seeks to level the play field for new entrants.
The regulator said in a press statement that the guidelines would cover 14 areas guiding various areas, including spectrum utilisation, quality of service and broadcasting.
According to CCK director Francis Wangusi, the key mobile operators currently dominating the market have enough capacity to share spectrum.
Culture of sharing
“They must henceforth inculcate the culture of sharing,” said Mr Wangusi, “The drafted regulations will dictate how passive and active sharing will be enabled by the available mobile operators.”
He said this will be an added advantage to operators who will get revenue from sharing their excess spectrum and infrastructure.
Market leader Safaricom has for a long time individualised its spectrum and infrastructure, especially its famous M-Pesa.
In March, CCK gave the firm terms for opening up its M-Pesa agency network to rival operators, a move that saw Safaricom back out of the yu-Mobile buyout.
Company chief executive Bob Collymore termed the conditions as erroneous, saying that building the network has taken it years of hard work and billions of shillings. This, the operator said, would make it hard to take its rivals on board for a free ride.
Innovate systems
“We invest in excess of Sh1.2 billion annually in building and maintaining the M-Pesa agency network to serve our customers better,” Mr Nzioka Waita, Safaricom director for corporate affairs was quoted saying.
He added that Safaricom rivals also have an equal opportunity to innovate brilliant ideas.
The events unfold even as CCK announced that Airtel had agreed to host three Mobile Virtual Network Operators on its Kenyan Network, opening a fresh chapter for sharing of spectrum among mobile operators.
