Airtel launches fibre cable internet connection for homes

Telecom giants Airtel Uganda have launched the Fiber To The Home (FTTH) service, a service that will see homes connected to ensure fast web browsing, heavy online gaming and downloading, multiple device streaming and other uses on a relatively faster internet connection.

The service was launched today at BellWether Apartments in Kyanja, Kampala on Thursday evening.

“This service is designed for all homes and businesses with multiple internet needs across multiple devices. Through a reliable fiber cable connection, a customer will be able to; stream video and music faster, superfast video downloading, share the connection across his/her many devices in the home, connect and monitor CCTV security systems. Businesses using this  will be able to share, collaborate and work on very large projects, hold big and long online conferences with partners from across the world. They will also have capabilities for streaming videos, monitoring CCTV security using the power of the internet among other uses,” said Henry Njoroge, the Marketing Director at Airtel Uganda.

“We are putting the right physical and digital infrastructure in place to support the growing communication needs of greater Kampala residents and businesses. To meet our obligations under SDG 9 that aims to grow internet access, Airtel is laying more fiber, upgrading sites, and innovating solutions ahead of the needs of our customers.”

According to Allan Ssemakula, the Enterprise Business Director at Airtel, the service comes in three packages including one that has up to 10mbps which costs shs170,000 a month, 30mbps going for shs250,000 and 50mbps going for shs350,000, all of which is unlimited internet running for 30 days.

“These plans are designed to cater for the small and medium businesses, start-up entrepreneurs, and work-from-home users depending on their budget,”Ssemakula noted.

He said the telecom company has already rolled out the fibre internet in 45 apartments within Kampala but extending to other areas including Entebbe, Mukono, Mbarara, Jinja and other parts of the country.

Underscoring the advantage of using fibre network, the Airtel Uganda Enterprise Business Director said it is more reliable.

“If you have microwave internet and there bad weather like heavy rains, storm or winds, the internet connection is disrupted and could deteriorate quality of service you get.  Also microwave internet might see one with good speeds outside the house but slows down inside the house. This is because the signal is not penetrating the concrete into the house.

With fibre, the signals come straight to your home from the company data centre. It can rain cats and dogs but your network will not be interrupted,”Ssemakula noted.

He said they have so far laid over 7000kms of fibre around the country and that the journey continues.