Telkom which was formally fully owned by the Kenya government had a lot of negative baggage. It was performing poorly, had a bloated work force and was dogged by a lot of corruption. The company has also suffered loses due to vandalism of its fixed-line copper cables.
“The Telkom Kenya you knew a few years ago will be unrecognisable in the coming months. The changes we have made are fundamental and far reaching with unprecedented investment not only in operations but in a brand new approach to the way we do business,” said Dominique Saint Jean during the launch that was officiated by Samuel Poghisio, Kenya's minister of Information and Communications.
Despite France Telecom having a majority shareholding, the name Telkom Kenya will remain because the company intends to continue nurturing its Kenyan roots and identity. France Telecom has partnered with numerous African companies and provided investment and expertise.
Telkom Kenya intentions are to focus on its customers and offer a new friendly and refreshing experience. Currently, the company has a customer base of about 500,000 customers on both fixed and CDMA wireless network. The fixed telephone service was mainly provided by Telkom Kenya, the sole provider of the service up to June 2004 when its five-year exclusivity expired. The Communication Commission of Kenya (CCK) has opened up the market and licensed other operators. The move has led to phenomenal growth in Kenya's telecommunication industry and the rebranding of Telkom Kenya is expected to enhance competition.
The company is expected to launch new products in the coming weeks. Already the company has launched its broadband service and is planning to explore alternative technologies for communication like optic-fibre and satellite.
