Comments on: Wananchi: Severely Curbing Web Costs in Kenya

By: Zuku the New Broadband Service from Wananchi. — the faust chronicle

Zuku the New Broadband Service from Wananchi. — the faust chronicle — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 12:54:25 +0000

[…] EDIT; Part of the reason iÂ subscribedÂ to this service was this article by WhiteAfrican. […]

By: fred

fred — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:10:41 +0000

Does anyone have any info on the availability of VOIP services. I’m looking to move some operations back home for cost purposes and of course “Ku Jenga Inchi”. If anyone has used any VOIP services please share your experience.

Thanks

By: Maxwell

Maxwell — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:22:12 +0000

BTW, how backwards or brain dead are these peeps?

“the reason being the Karen Langatta Residence Association has not permitted us to put up our base station to facilitate connection in that area”

By: Maxwell

Maxwell — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:18:45 +0000

Hey Masaa! Yep, I’m seriously thinking about relocating to Mombasa if I stick around in Kenya. Heck, broadband is MUCH BETTER in TZ. I wrote about Zantel’s EV-DO service here in 2007: “Zantel ups the stakes with new mobile data service”
http://goafricago.blogspot.com/2007/03/zantel-ups-stakes-with-new-mobile-data.html

Oh, here’s the scoop I just got from Access Kenya regarding their HOME WIMAX offering challenges in Karen:
—-
“Our service is guaranteed while the other is shared hence the price difference. We are also using a different kind of equipment even though the standard is Wimax. You are free to pass by the office and test. Unfortunately we havenâ€™t deployed in Karen yet, the reason being the Karen Langatta Residence Association has not permitted us to put up our base station to facilitate connection in that area. Once this is done it will take less than 14days to install and there are a number of clients who have already signed up despite the delay.
In regards to our corporate product, we will prepare a proposal on our entry level product with 32kbps uplink and 64kbps downlink which will sufficiently serve your three computers and I will forward to you soonest.

Kind regards”
—-

By: masaaa

masaaa — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 14:02:17 +0000

Max,

I had not thought about the Mombasa thing. You are right. I do my business online and don’t really care where I am but I need my internet. I will be looking at Mombasa, of course after they lay the cable.

My view after the last post is that, we have a long way to go. As you can see the guys from wananchi stopped posting here.

For those who wish to get internet access in your home, for 32kbps just know that you will only be able to login to yahoo. Even the login to gmail has to be done without standard view. I can assure you , you will miss the cyber cafe.

Before you buy, ask for the real speeds. Most of the salesmen only know the word, very fast. A guy who just cleared form 4 does not have a clue what fast means. I am sorry.

I got one provider. They are too expensive but at least, I know what my speeds are and when I complain, they show up on my door. Otherwise, I am still frustrated.

but you guys are right. After Posta, this is still way better. So let’s not complain too much.

By: Maxwell

Maxwell — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:53:01 +0000

Well, BAD NEWS from Acess Kenya. It appears that their Access@Home packages are using Alvarion hardware and they DON’T have a base station here in Karen yet. Apparently, the Residents Association here is giving them problems with setting up a tower. But then she told me about their “corporate” WIMAX package which uses the EXPENSIVE Motoral Canaopy hardware. They already have towers here and in Ngong for that. But the cheapest speeds were 32k/32k for 10,000/= per month. Yikes!!!
So looks like my pal “Mrs. C” is gonna have to go with Wananchi…unless I can convince her to allow Access Kenya to put up a tower on her 15 acres of property by Karen & Ngong Rds. Hmmnnn…

By: Maxwell

Maxwell — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:35:30 +0000

By the way, I think Africa Online’s iBURST is in big doo doo. How can it compete with 3G that’s ubiquitous and AK & Wananchi’s offerings?
Oh well!!

By: Maxwell

Maxwell — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 13:32:50 +0000

HASH!!! What’s up dude?
This post was timely as I got here by a Google search : “access kenya vs wananchi +wimax”. My good pal is looking to set up broadband on her premises here in Karen (Ngong Rd & Karen Rd intersection) so I’m emailing both Access Kenya and Wananchi on their product offerings. Here’s what they sent me…

WANANCHI:
Package Description | Speed | Price (in VAT)
*Prosurf Recommended 1 Computer (With 5 email addresses FREE) 256Kbps 2,999/-
*Supersurf Recommended 2 -3 computers (With 10 email addresses FREE) 512Kbps 5,999/-
*Megasurf Recommended 4 â€“ 7 Computers (With 20 email addresses FREE) + 1 static IP if required 1Mbps 9,999/-
*Sohosurf Recommended 8 â€“ 12 Computers (With 30 email addresses FREE) + 1 static IP if required 1Mbps 14,999/-
Setup fee: 5800/= (no cost for WIMAX equipment but it belongs to them)
—————
ACCESS KENYA:
**Access@Home Premium package:
Speeds: ALL SPEEDS GUARANTEED-NOT SHARED
All day (7am-6pm): 32kbps uplink / 32kbps downlink
All night (6p-7a): 64k up / 256k down
All weekend: (saturdays 1pm – mondays 7am): 64k up / 256k down
Pricing: Equipment cost: FREE (normal price Kshs 25,000); One off commissioning fee Kshs 12,500 plus VAT; MONTHLY fee Kshs 6000 + VAT
—
**Access@Home Value package:
Speeds: ALL SPEEDS GUARANTEED-NOT SHARED
All day (7am-6pm): 32kbps uplink / 32kbps downlink
All night (6p-7a): 64k up / 128k down
All weekend: (saturdays 1pm – mondays 7am): 64k up / 128k down
Pricing: Equipment cost: FREE (normal price Kshs 25,000); One off commissioning fee Kshs 12,500 plus VAT; MONTHLY fee Kshs 4000 + VAT
===========
My thoughs?
Well, I have a hunch the Access Kenya package “should” be BETTER dude to the GUARANTEED speeds in their brochure. Wananchi does NOT have a tower in this area (Karen Rd & Ngong Rd) yet. But they have a cheaper setup fee at 5800/= vs AK’s 12,500. I just sent an email to Trizah at Access Kenya to see WHERE their closest tower is. Also, according to Mercy from Wananchi, they’re using Telsima WIMAX hardware. I don’t know what AK is using…maybe Alvarion to justify that obscene 12,500 /= setup fee? Who knows?

By the way, peek my post titled “ZAIN on the EDGE of Ngong” on my Go Africa go! blog here:
http://goafricago.blogspot.com/2008/08/zain-on-edge-of-ngong.html
With regards to Zain, I truly believe that once their 3G service goes live – “soon” according to customer service – that it will be BETTER than Safaricom’s 3G offering. Why? Because their EDGE service is waaaay better. Have any of you tried browsing Yahoo.com in your phone on Safaricom’s EDGE? “No gateway”. Once I plop in my Zain SIM, no problema.

All in all, broadband is starting to heat up in this country. I’m curious to see what happens when those 3 undersea fibre optic cables connect at Mombasa. I’ve been telling peeps that Mombasa will, OVER NIGHT, become a data/broadband haven since I DON’T TRUST the crappy infrastructure in this country to provide RELIABLE fibre optic connections from Mombasa onwards to Nairobi and further upcountry. Why? Heck, Telkom Kenya employees keep STEALING copper which has screwed lots of cyber cafes with hours of down time. Who will be stealing the fibre optic cabling?? I’m told that the Masai love to make necklaces out of fibre cabling. If that’s the case, shit may hit the fan. I don’t know…but relocation to Mombasa in 2009/2010 is looking mighty good. 🙂

Peace!

– Max (aka MaxTheITpro: http://MaxTheITpro.BlogSpot.com )

By: Newbie2Nairobi

Newbie2Nairobi — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 18:05:57 +0000

Hi , all. As I am new to the broadband market in Nairobi, I’d like some advice. It seems like the link to the intenet outside Kenya is the bottleneck and that Telekom Kenya and Wananchi have made the most recent investments in this area. Are these, therefore, the providers to go with for heavy home-based use? Does adding in the complexity of needing to move locations rule out Wananchi? In either case, or with other providers, how does one sign up? Are there retail outlets?

By: Matimun

Matimun — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 12:08:39 +0000

SAXG & Masaa,

I agree with your views. I got the Celtel/Zain EDGE service just this month and I am not at all impressed. 237Kbps is what they will proudly tout to you at the Zain centre on Mombasa Road. Just try asking them what the actual speeds are (the sales reps weren’t sure and just beat around the bush saying it’s quite fast!)

Anyway, I had to get it coz it was the best offer available (5-10 KBps @ 3K per month.. hmm.. ) But it sure beats the Safaricom trap. Imagine hooking up internet on a network that’s already congested on calls only. Wouldn’t wanna surf on a Friday evening! And then the real downside is the rationed MB’s. With multimedia ruling the web, why would you even dream of getting into this plan?

I’m waiting to see any positive reviews about the new Wananchi broadband. We’re also hoping that this time, it’s true broadband (I’m expecting at least 100Kbps downloads with this one..). I’m sticking to Celtel EDGE for now for lack of dependable alternatives. Other plans are either too damn expensive or too slow.

On a positive note, if ISP’s were to get a bit more serious, with proper regulations, Kenya would truly be a broadband zone. This country has come a long way from Kenya Posts & Telecommunications (I had already forgotten about it!) In three years (yes!) it’s possible to have the sort of broadband they have in San Diego (speedtest.net gives Sony Entertainment Corp. a whopping 33Mbps freefall.)

Till then, it’s 5Kbps for most of us!