Kenya - Govt concern over trench digging by ISPs is pushing them share ducts and cables

[daily nation] The government is set to implement a policy to put a cap to the ongoing menace of individual internet firms hauling fibre cables around in the city and residential areas.

In Nairobi and major residential areas, providers have been busy digging holes next to each other on same side of the road to lay cables thus becoming a nuisance to users.

"We are moving to force them to share infrastructure. We cannot have a situation where everybody is digging the city to put up their own cable," said Information and Communication PS Bitange Ndemo.

He spoke at a regional IT conference organised by technology firms, by NetApp and Virtual Works.

He said local authorities and the State will build and own fibre routes or just the conduits and lease to interested providers.

Sharing of infrastructure is emerging as the key solution to increased cases of fibre optic cable vandalism with telecoms rivals have been trading claims of sabotage.

Mr Ndemo said the government was intent on making Kenya one of the key ICT centres of excellence in the region.

He said the initiative started four years ago, was already half way through with implementation of fibre optic cable. It was now focusing on connectivity and content.

Mr Ndemo said with implementation of digital villages, innovation at the grassroots levels had increased tremendously citing Northern Kenya where a local YouTube is putting the place in the global technology arena.

At the conference, Virtual Works Africa and NetApp, global data storage companies, unveiled data storage technology that will enable organisations save up to 50 per cent of their energy costs while using 80 per cent less storage.

Virtual Works managing director James Munene said data storage consumes substantial amounts of energy and must be managed to enhance business efficiency.

The demand for data space is growing exponentially meaning more data storage space is required by organisations resulting in increased costs.

"As businesses, continue to experience high energy costs, the Green Data Centre is part of our innovative solution to make IT infrastructure more energy efficient and environmentally beneficial by helping companies enhance efficiency of their information technology systems and improve their competitiveness in the market place," said Mr Munene.

Mr Martyn Molnar, regional director for NetApp, said, "our objective is to make sure that global trends in data management excellence are implemented in Kenya and the region."

The Green Data Centre initiative allows organisations to reduce ever-growing power consumption by subtracting data storage infrastructure and disks from the power equation.

Kenya: Share Cables, Ndemo Tells ICT Firms