Zain launches Internet packages for prepaid customers

By Standard Reporter

Zain Kenya has launched unlimited Internet access services for prepaid customers by unveiling two flat rate access packages.

The bundled unlimited Internet and the daily-rate access packages will see prepaid customers make up to 90 per cent savings.

Customers will pay a minimum flat rate of Sh250 to gain unlimited access to the Internet for one day.

The package can be subscribed to for a maximum of 30 days at Sh3,250. Alternatively customers will subscribe to the bundled offer at Sh100 for 25 megabytes (MB).

Customers will be required to buy USB modems at Sh2,999, down from Sh12,995, which are already pre-loaded with 150MB.

Hinder penetration

"The high cost of the modem has been a major hindrance to penetration of data services in this market," said Mr Rene Meza, Zain Kenya managing director.

Meza said Zain Kenya was now connected to the Seacom fibre optic cable, thereby enhancing Internet data speeds.

"This is critical for real-time services such as video streaming. It will also reduce backbone costs which will eventually bring down the cost to the end user," he said.

The connection will enhance availability of bandwidth and allow for significant capacity expansion on the backbone to meet the growing demand for Internet services.

The move by Zain Kenya to stir interest in data services among the prepaid customers is driven by the anticipated boom occasioned by the arrival of the fibre optic cables on the Kenyan coast line.

Despite mobile telephony subscription growing to more than 16 million, data services have largely been utilised by corporate clients and customers in the post-paid tariff plans.

Meza said following an extensive network upgrade programme which commenced last year, Internet is now available in all parts of the country.