With the full six gigs ISPs can supercharge digital services
The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA) has welcomed the Kenyan government’s decision to designate the lower 6 GHz radio spectrum (5925 – 6425 MHz) for license-exempt Wi-Fi use, says an Africa Tech report. This is right in line with the African Telecommunications Union’s July 2021 recommendation, says the news site for the African business communities.
DSA campaigns across the world for telcos to invent new ways to improve spectrum-sharing. It said Kenya’s regulator has ensured it remains competitive on the regional stage as it keeps its option open for next-generation Wi-Fi 6 and 6E technologies. These could do a lot more to improve public services, fine tune business operations and connect citizens. Kenya must unlock the full potential of Wi-Fi, said the DSA, which has called on national policymakers to allocate the entire 6 GHz bandwidth (5925 – 7125 MHz) for Wi-Fi use.
Wireless internet service providers (ISPs) need access to the full 6 GHz band to deliver the ‘supercharged’ digital services that will extend and deepen Kenya’s urban and rural broadband coverage, improve internet access and affordability for citizens and promote faster speeds with greater reliability for businesses.
A 2021 report by the DSA has revealed that if decision-makers designate the entire 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi use, upwards of $20 billion would be generated for the Kenyan economy by 2030. Additionally, the study projected that a further 1.4 million Kenyan citizens would be able to access the Internet by 2030 as a result of full 6 GHz Wi-Fi use.
“Kenyan citizens, enterprises, and the nation’s economy stand to benefit enormously from unlocking the full potential of Wi-Fi,” said DSA president Martha Suarez.
Kenya’s digital divide will only be bridged if policymakers designate the full 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi use, Suarez warned. “Leading economies, like Canada, South Korea and the US have already done this and are enjoying faster internet speeds, lower latency and less interference.”