Kenya Could Unlock The Full Potential Of Wi-Fi

The Dynamic Spectrum Alliance (DSA), a global organisation dedicated to promoting spectrum sharing innovation has welcomed the Kenyan government’s decision to designate the lower 6 GHz radio spectrum (5925 – 6425 MHz) for license-exempt Wi-Fi use in line with the African Telecommunications Union’s July 2021 recommendation.

DSA said in a press release the decision will ensure that Kenya remains competitive on the regional stage as next-generation Wi-Fi 6 and 6E technologies, capable of boosting public services, enhancing business operations, and seamlessly connecting citizens, are adopted.

For Kenya to unlock the full potential of Wi-Fi, the DSA has called on policymakers to allocate the entire 6 GHz bandwidth (5925 – 7125 MHz) for Wi-Fi use.

Wireless internet service providers require access to the full 6 GHz band to deliver supercharged digital services that will enhance Kenya’s urban and rural broadband coverage, improve internet access and affordability for citizens, and facilitate faster speeds with greater reliability for businesses.

Martha Suarez, President of the Dynamic Spectrum Alliance, which is advocating innovative spectrum sharing solutions for affordable connectivity, said: “Kenyan citizens, enterprises, and the nation’s economy stand to benefit enormously from unlocking the full potential of Wi-Fi. However, this substantial increase in wealth and narrowing of Kenya’s digital divide will only be achieved if policymakers designate the full 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi use,”

Leading economies, including Brazil, Canada, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and the United States, have already acted to allocate the entire 6 GHz band for Wi-Fi in order to empower the digital transformation of all sectors of the economy and public services by enabling faster internet speeds, lower latency connectivity and reducing the risk of interference.

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 more 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 because of full 6 GHz Wi-Fi use.