Wachira Kang'aru
24 January 2006
Nairobi — If you thought fixed lines had been ousted by mobile phones, think again. Flashcom, a locally owned telecommunications company, has added a sizzle to fixed-line services through wireless connection that supports value-added services offered by the cellphone.
The company, through its Flashcom phones, has unlocked the potential of cheap and reliable connectivity to both voice and data transmission. All you need is a fully loaded fixed-line handset from Flashcom. With it, you can connect to the Internet, text, fax, and make calls. And when you move house or office, all you need to do is pack it and transfer it to your next destination. No calls to the service provider to change the numbers or settings.
The need for cheaper, reliable and stable Internet connectivity has kept up the demand for fixed telephone lines. The success of information technology sector hinges on availability of reliable telecommunication network, especially fixed lines.
"The shift is towards wireless technologies, a more efficient way to make telephone connection without the expense of burying tonnes of copper wire. It is also marked with less bureaucracy," says Flashcom CEO Anthony Kang'ethe.
The ease of mobile phone connection and a user friendly billing system have seen the subscription to mobile phones outstrip that of landlines. According to available data, by November last year, mobile subscription had hit eight million while landlines subscription was struggling below 300,000. Telkom Kenya, the former fixed-line monopoly, has been unable to satisfy the lines demand of over 1.5 million.
Flashcom Ltd is a Local Loop Operator (LLO) that provides wireless telecommunication services using a digital technology more advanced than GSM used by mobile phone providers. LLO is a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) initially designed for military use, but has found use in bridging the digital divide in countries with a big gap in access to telephone lines.
"CDMA 2000 has been deployed successfully in Asia, North and South America and Europe and the subscriber base is growing by 700,000 subscribers per day in those regions. By selecting CDMA 2000 as our access technology, Flashcom has capitalised on a robust network that can carry integrated services to reach the area business and a wider residential market," says Mr Kang'ethe.
Subscribers can make savings by bundling various services over the same network with one delivery point. "In this case," he says, "a home subscriber on our network has the potential to receive telephone, Internet, VPN (Virtual Private Network to the office network) and, in future, TV and on-demand downloadable programming like movies and sports. Our consolidated bill will be lower than sourcing for individual services."
The company is offering both prepaid and post-paid tariffs. Services are billed per second with a telephone call going for Sh9 per three minutes compared to Telkom's Sh10 for the same duration. For now the service will only be available in the capital, but will roll out in Mombasa and Kisumu in the next three months.
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