NAIROBI, Kenya, July 2 – Telecommunications operators are facing increased pressure to improve network quality and coverage after the government urged them to accelerate investments in infrastructure to meet rising demand for data, artificial intelligence (AI) applications and future national events.
The call was made during a meeting between Broadcasting and Telecommunications Principal Secretary Stephen Isaboke and chief executives of mobile network operators as regulators intensify oversight of service quality across the sector.
The discussions come as the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) proposes new Quality of Service (QoS) regulations that would raise the minimum compliance threshold from 80 percent to 90 percent, introduce quarterly performance audits and impose stiffer penalties on operators that fail to meet the standards.
The move follows growing consumer complaints over dropped calls, slow internet speeds and inconsistent network performance.
Isaboke said the government wanted to understand how operators are preparing their networks to support emerging technologies such as AI, which is expected to increase demand for mobile data and high-speed connectivity.
“Technology is changing rapidly, and with artificial intelligence there is a huge demand on the network, particularly in a 5G environment. We wanted to understand what operators are doing in terms of planning and preparing their networks,” he said.
“If you don’t deliver good customer service, customers vote with their feet by switching. We are committed to working with the operators to ensure Kenyans receive quality services.”
The meeting also reviewed network preparedness ahead of major continental sporting events that Kenya is set to host, with operators expected to strengthen connectivity at competition venues, airports, hotels and transport corridors.
Isaboke said the government would work with telecommunications firms and other agencies to address infrastructure bottlenecks, including challenges affecting fibre deployment and access to installation sites.
The renewed push comes as Kenya records rapid growth in mobile data usage driven by video streaming, cloud computing, fintech services and AI-powered applications, placing greater pressure on operators to expand network capacity.
Under the proposed CA regulations, operators that consistently fail to meet quality standards could face fines equivalent to 0.2 percent of their annual turnover, with performance assessed at the county level in addition to national performance.
The regulator also plans to expand the number of service quality indicators from 21 to 38, including call completion rates, internet speeds, latency, network availability and overall customer experience.
The government says improving network quality remains critical to Kenya’s digital transformation agenda and will support economic growth, digital inclusion and the delivery of public services.
