Survey shows Internet users rose despite economic downturn

Source: http://www.eastandard.net/InsidePage.php?id=1144014863&catid=14&a=1

The number of Internet users increased from 2.9 million in 2007 to 3.4 million last year, despite an economic slump, the Economic Survey 2009 reveals.

However, Internet penetration has been among the least accessible telecommunication service due to lack of infrastructure and relevant local content.

The much-anticipated undersea Fibre Optic cable (TEAMS) next month, and improved competition regulatory framework would boost Internet penetration.

"Introduction of broadband services by mobile operators is expected to further boost Internet penetration and use which has remained low in the past," reads the survey in part.

The Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) issued 127 licenses to Internet service providers {ISPs} out of which 56 were operational compared to 50 in 2007.

Cell phone subscribers

According to the survey, the number of mobile phone subscribers stood at 12.9 million last year up from 9.3 million in 2007. This is against mobile telephone capacity of 25 million subscribers.

The broadcasting sector experienced increased demand for frequencies. CCK assigned a total of 30 new FM frequencies out of 295 applications for FM broadcasting.

The number of applicants awaiting allocation for TV frequencies increased from 143 in 2007 to 192 in 2008.

The year under review (2008) also saw the launch of the first digital mobile television broadcast network in the country.

The CCK assigned nine TV broadcast channels to Digital; Video Broadcasting-handheld (DVB-H) but a number of assigned frequencies were recalled due to non-utilisation.

This resulted to the total number of frequencies in operation dropping from 127 in 2007 to 81 in 2008.

Radio Frequencies in use dropped from 368 in 2007 to 268 last year.

Digital technology

"CCK continued to spearhead the preparatory process of the transition from analogue to digital TV broadcasting. It is anticipated that the transition would help in reducing the number of applicants and those on waiting list due to spectral efficiency of digital technology," reads the report.

Kenya has set 2012 as the year of transition ahead of the 2015 global deadline.

"In order to improve access to ICT services, the CCK implemented 16 school-based ICT centres spread across the eight provinces and funded establishment of four ICT community access points," reveals the survey.

Circulation of daily newspapers rose to 99.3 million copies last year up from 98.4million copies in 2007 which is a 4.6 per cent increase.