Kenya included in plans to phase out 2G/3G mobile connection by 2030

Kenya is part of an ambitious plan to phase out 2G and 3G mobile internet by 2030, as announced by the GSM Association (GSMA) during a meeting at the United Nations General Assembly. The initiative, aimed at accelerating broadband migration in Africa, is backed by the Partnership for Digital Access in Africa (PDAA) and seeks to connect one billion people across the continent by 2030.

According to the GSMA, Africa has already established the necessary network infrastructure, and the challenge now lies in making smartphones and services accessible, equipping people with digital skills, and ensuring that connectivity provides tangible benefits to users. The latest data from Kenya's Communications Authority indicates a significant decline in 2G and 3G subscriptions, with 2G dropping from 12.8 million to 9.3 million and 3G decreasing from 7.4 million to 4.5 million over the past year.

In contrast, 4G and 5G networks have seen substantial growth, with 4G subscribers increasing from 37.2 million to 48.3 million and 5G subscribers rising from 1.2 million to 2.1 million. The GSMA's road map, which includes Kenya, Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, and South Africa, aims to bridge the digital divide, which currently stands at 906 million people, representing 60% of the African population.

The goal, though ambitious, is considered attainable if connectivity, electrification, affordable devices, and digital skills are combined with public-private partnerships to ensure that no community is left behind. Additionally, the roadmap seeks to integrate energy and connectivity in Africa to ensure reliable power and improve device usage, while promoting infrastructure sharing to lower costs for consumers.

Rwanda is the only country in the East African Community that has already started phasing out 2G connections as it transitions to higher mobile broadband services.