Airtel Kenya has paid Ksh. 1.13 billion to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) for a new spectrum license for the next 10 years.
The telco regulator has given Airtel Kenya non-contiguous 2×10 MHz block of spectrum in the 2100 MHz for $10 million valid for 10 years.
In addition, the telco has committed itself to clear Ksh. 2.2 billion for its current license which it has been using since 2015. The telco’s operating license expired back in 2015.
Airtel Africa has said that in respect of settlements regarding the 2015-2025 operating and spectrum license, it will pay a total of about $20 million (Sh2.2 billion) in four installments over the next three years.
The payment will see the telco offer additional data services to customers without increasing bundle charges. The development is said to have been motivated by high demand for Airtel data services as Kenyans look for the best deals when accessing the net using cellular networks.