Challenges Facing The Growth Of Internet Services In Kangema Division Murang' A District, Keanya

ABSTRACT

Kenya ventured into the Internet Industry in 1994. The services offered then

was only email. In late 1994 full internet services were established. The

spread of the Internet was slow due to control by the Kenya Post and

Telecommunication Corporations (KPTC). In 1998, KPTC liberalized the

market for third party services and since then, the Internet has spread though

not rapidly.

From the data collected, the earliest ISP started in the Kangema division in

the year 2000 with very few e-mail clients. They used Fidonetz and first

class client to access e-mail. It was noted that there were about eleven ISPs

started in the year 2000 and they were in the initial stages of development.

At the research, there were only five well established ISP'S with a client

base of more than 5000 per year.

The number of Internet Service providers in Kangema division as by May

2007 was low of abuut 20 ISV's with a total estimated ciiems number of

about 500 people. However, by the end of2007, 20 IPSs are estimated to be

licensed according to Africa on line publication dated 20°' July 2007.

The government was not keen on using the technology hence was not

creating a supportive environment for the IPS"s to operate. 70% of these

respondents said that the government was looking at the Internet technology

with a lot of suspicion.