Today's Headlines
- Lessons and Implications of the Confirmation of Charges Against Kenya's 'Ocampo Four'
- Finance Minister Quits Over ICC Charges
- Shortage of HIV Test Kits Raises Concerns
- Living On the Edge in Turkana Region
- Ali Breaks Silence, Describes Delight At Acquittal
- Uhuru, Ruto Eligible for Presidency - CIC
- Tea Sector Posts Record Earnings in 2011
- Resettle IDPs, Urges Annan
- Uhuru, Muthaura Have Done the Right Thing
- All Displaced People Should Return Home
- Concern Raised As Parents Shun Schools in Poll Violence Hotspots
- Ruling On IEBC Hiring in February
- Country Working Towards Conditions Needed for Direct Flights to U.S.
- How ICC Claimed Kibaki's Lieutenants
- Geothermal Project to Receive Sh10 Billion Funding Boost
- Five Million to Get IDs Before Elections
- Speed Up Building Port
- Uhuru and Muthaura Did Well to Quit Posts
- A Full Plate Awaits Githae
- Clashes Continue in Moyale
- Baraza Case to Be Heard Monday
- Two Firms in Joint Venture to Drill for Oil Near Lodwar
- Exit Uhuru, Muthaura
- ICC Charges Hound Uhuru Out of Treasury
- Consumers Grow Despite Inflation
- Poor Relations Between Banks Blamed for Cash Shortages
- Fish Prices Up As Vegetable Supply Dwindles
- Consumers to Pay More for Milk and Bread As Prices Rise
- Kibaki Tasks Ex-Dar CJ to Lead Probe in Kenya
- Mombasa Port Cargo Congestion Forces Three-Month Fees Waiver
7 September 2010
editorial
Nairobi — In recent years, three major undersea fibre optic cables have landed in the country at a huge cost to investors, including the government.The advent of the cables has accorded Kenyan users higher data speeds through direct connections to other continents.
Disappointingly, though, this has not come with concomitant price cuts. When the government went to the extent of dabbling in both the East African Marines System (TEAMS) and the EASSy cables, it was generally understood this investment was meant to make Internet use cheaper.
Indeed, other operators with huge public stakes, namely, Telkom Kenya and Safaricom, also made credible investment in the much-hyped technology.
It was then generally accepted that a huge outsourcing industry would grow to compete with the Indian business outsourcing hubs.On Monday, Telkom Kenya CEO Mickael Ghossein attributed the high bandwidth prices to cable vandalism.
But as we experience huge cuts in voice rates, we expect the State to address, not only vandalism, but also possible collusion between players. This must be done for the sake of the economy.
