Plans are underway to connect more towns to Liquid Telecom's free WiFi in Kenya's Nakuru County to meet the growing demand for the service.
Liquid Telecom said it has also been approached by five other county governments to implement a similar solution after hearing of the success and popularity of the service.
Plans are believed to be at an advanced stage to connect Naivasha and Gilgil towns, as well Egerton University in Njoro and more streets and public areas in the Nakuru County.
In a statement, Liquid Telecom said the hugely positive response to the free WiFi network has triggered demand for wireless services across Kenya.
The Nakuru WiFi project is the first of its kind in Kenya, and sees Nakuru join Kigali in Rwanda and Tshwane in South Africa as the first major urban centres in Africa to enjoy access to free public WiFi.
Dubbed Bilawaya, the free WiFi service provides people with WiFi-enabled free access to the internet.
Launched in April 2005, the 1Gbps WiFi network covers a 10km radius from the central business district and covers key points including transport terminals, stadia and academic institutions.
Denis Itumbi, Director of Digital Communications in the Office of the President of the Republic of Kenya said, "This network is a first for our country and has far exceeded our expectations. Every day I see how it is changing lives. Our people are hungry for digital access and all the knowledge. We will be extending the network to the second and third largest towns in Nakuru county and indeed to other counties every shortly".
Ben Roberts, CEO of Liquid Telecom Kenya said, "Congratulations to the President and all of his team who spearheaded the Bilawaya project in Nakuru. Every day we see for ourselves how it is changing lives".
- IT Web Africa