NAIROBI, Kenya, July 31 – Aldai Member of Parliament Maryanne Kitany has proposed a law to regulate internet billing by Internet Service providers (ISPs) by providing metered billing of internet use based on consumption.
The legislator highlighted the need for the government, through the Ministry of Information Communication and Digital Economy, to formulate the policy on regulation of internet billing in order to mitigate exploitation and secure the economic interests of internet users.
The law, if passed in Parliament, will require ISPs to develop and deploy quality metered billing systems capable of monitoring customer usage with the ability to convert to readable details and creating invoices based on consumption and aligning their metrics with the value the customers get from various internet services.
MP Kitany stated that high costs of data and internet services, as well as the purchase of internet-enabled digital devices, may lead to digital exclusion as the country rapidly moves to digitization of services and processes under the Kenya Digital Master Plan (2022-2030).
“As the country rapidly digitizes services and processes, the high costs of data, internet services as well as purchase of internet-enabled digital devices may lead to digital exclusion of a majority of Kenyans,” said MP Kitany.
The Lawmaker emphasized the need to bridge all existing gaps in the ICT sector to ensure inclusivity in access to the internet arguing that the government’s plan for a digital superhighway may be hindered without deliberate interventions to lower data costs.
“Recognizing that, there is a need to bridge the existing gap in ICT to ensure inclusivity in access to the internet and make Kenya a regional ICT hub while keeping pace with shifting technological changes,” she added.
As part of achieving the Kenya Digital Master Plan (2022-2030) government through the ministry of ICT pledged to increase internet broadband connectivity across the country by rolling 100,000 km of fiber optic cable to achieve its digitization Agenda.
The blueprint aims to accelerate the country’s economic growth by leveraging on emerging technologies to create high quality jobs.
