Internet service provider Wananchi Group has raised about Sh14 billion, part of it through private equity, to expand and improve its services and business in East Africa.
Group chief executive Richard Bell said part of the investment is to initiate the Triple Play.
“The product offers high quality pay TV, super fast broadband internet and voice in one package,” he said.
Part of the money will support the direct-to-home satellite Pay TV in 10 countries where penetration is less than one per cent.
Huge range of variety
The 10 are Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi, Southern Sudan, Somalia, Eritrea Ethiopia, Burundi and Rwanda.
“We are bringing to East Africa a world class Pay TV channel to offer a variety in movies, sports, documentaries, family and local programmes,” he said in Nairobi Tuesday.
Mr Bell said local artistes and entrepreneurs will get a chance to develop content for local consumers at a subscription fee of Sh1,000 a month.
The CEO said that building infrastructure is still going on in Nairobi and Uganda with Tanzania the next target.
They aim to finish in 18 months.
Through the developed cable, homes will access television channels.
“We have signed up with companies with the latest technologies to assist us to be at the cutting edge of technology,” he said.
Regulate the industry
Mr Bell urged the government to regulate the industry the same way it has done the mobile sector.
“We hope to see that sports rights are available to all the players and not managed under a monopolistic manner,” he said.
Wananchi presently serves the retail and corporate markets in East Africa through its consumer and corporate divisions with the former operating under the Zuku brand.
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