Kenya Power rolls out ‘smart poles’ installation to improve internet connectivity

Electricity service provider Kenya Power has rolled out a pilot project anchored towards installation of special utility poles (Smart Poles) that are targeted at supporting the provision of high-speed internet connectivity even as it seeks to diversify its revenue strategy.

Speaking during a conference dubbed Innovation for sustainable and quality grid service, Kenya Power’s Managing Director engineer Joseph Siror observed that there is an enormous need to ensure that the future of power production is more efficient and eco-friendlier.

“The Smart Poles will provide an alternative way to deploy the last mile data networks using wireless technologies, thus providing a solution to telecom service providers to improve data coverage and capacity, as well as address the challenge of signal dropouts,” Siror said.

Kenya power which has started the program within Nairobi seeks to roll out the program in many parts of the country to ensure that the entire nation is connected to  internet. The move comes amid increased demand for the internet which has put pressure on telecommunications service providers to expand last-mile data networks.

Kenya power further observes that it will leverage on innovative and sustainable solutions to ensure that they have a smart grid in place that will propel it into tapping into new growth frontiers. The company has partnered with the ministry of ICT to offer valuable lessons for its staff in its quest to fully automate the grid.