Chinese tech firm to improve broadband for low-income households in Kenya

NAIROBI, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Chinese technology firm Huawei said on Monday that it is stepping up its rollout of broadband infrastructure to low-income households in Kenya to boost the country's digital economy.

Adam Lane, director of government affairs and partnerships at Huawei Kenya, said in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi that most high-end housing units have broadband connectivity options, including fiber optics, which is not the case for low-income housing.

"We have specific technologies for low-income households that make it easier to connect to broadband and use fewer devices, which helps to reduce costs and accelerate access to the internet," Lane said on the sidelines of the Connected Africa Summit 2024, which was held under the theme "Shaping the Future of a Connected Africa: Unlocking Growth Beyond Connectivity."

The five-day event brought together information and communications technology (ICT) ministers and regulators from 35 African countries, as well as European Union officials, to explore ways to reduce Africa's digital divide.

Lane said Huawei has developed technological solutions, such as underground and aerial fiber optics, that reduce the cost for low-income households to connect to broadband internet.

He added that broadband connectivity has numerous advantages because it expands coverage to education, e-commerce opportunities, and e-government services.