Infrastructure
TT Correspondent | 14 Jun 2013Integrated telecommunications services provider, Telkom Kenya, which operates Orange's mobile and fixed-line telecommunications services in Kenya, has signed an agreement with Eaton Towers for the management of its passive network infrastructure.
The fifteen-year tower management and leasing deal is focused on both the maintenance of existing sites by Eaton Towers and the building of new sites. This will help reduce operating costs and capital expenditure, while improving network coverage and quality, as well as reducing Orange's overall carbon footprint.
Telkom Kenya will retain ownership of its existing portfolio of over 1,000 towers while Eaton Towers will invest in passive infrastructure upgrades and build new towers to provide Telkom Kenya with improved coverage and network quality. In parallel, the partnership will create a solid platform that will allow Telkom Kenya to focus on developing value-added services such as innovative data offers as well as an enhanced customer care experience.
"We are confident that our agreement with Eaton Towers is a step in the right direction," said Mickael Ghossein, CEO of Telkom Kenya. "The partnership will place us in a strong position to expand our network and develop innovative new services, in particular in rural areas, helping us achieve our ambition to provide the Kenyan population with excellent nation-wide coverage and relevant offers. Through this partnership, we will be able to reduce our operational costs and, at the same time, minimise the environmental impact of our network by reducing the use of diesel fuel."
Alan Harper, Chief Executive of Eaton Towers, said: "This agreement extends our successful relationship with the Orange Group in Africa and brings significant benefits to all parties. Eaton Towers' expertise in tower management and its commitment to top-quality service will allow Telkom Kenya to expand and improve its network while optimizing costs."
The agreement represents an important step forward in Orange's efforts to improve efficiency and control operating costs across its footprint in Africa. Sharing passive infrastructure is a key part of this strategy and similar deals have already been struck in Uganda, Cameroon and Côte d'Ivoire.
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