ExpressWi-Fi by Facebook Exits Ugandan Market.

17/05/2022

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<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 198.627px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.82237);">Kampala </span><span style="left: 168.027px; top: 198.627px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.792166);">12</span><span style="left: 186.907px; top: 196.947px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.861789);">th</span><span style="left: 201.627px; top: 198.627px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.826779);">May, 2022</span><span style="left: 286.947px; top: 198.627px; font-family: sans-serif;">–</span><span style="left: 300.387px; top: 198.627px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.808609);">Express Wi</span><span style="left: 383.107px; top: 198.627px; font-family: sans-serif;">-</span><span style="left: 388.867px; top: 198.627px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.800846);">Fi internet service has come to an end in </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 223.107px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.80681);">Uganda following an announcement made by the Internet service provider and </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 247.747px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.813477);">Facebook partner, ROKE Telkom. The Ugandan home</span><span style="left: 497.693px; top: 247.747px; font-family: sans-serif;">-</span><span style="left: 503.453px; top: 247.747px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.838514);">grown</span><span style="left: 556.093px; top: 247.747px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.793132);">public service </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 272.387px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.81735);">provider partnered with Facebook to provide high</span><span style="left: 475.133px; top: 272.387px; font-family: sans-serif;">-</span><span style="left: 480.893px; top: 272.387px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.813421);">speed internet to millions of </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 296.707px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.802587);">Ugandans in October 2020.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="left: 100.192px; top: 332.267px; font-family: sans-serif;">S</span><span style="left: 108.832px; top: 332.267px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.799623);">ince its launch, the users of the Express Wi</span><span style="left: 431.773px; top: 332.267px; font-family: sans-serif;">-</span><span style="left: 437.533px; top: 332.267px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.792853);">Fi service have been </span><span style="left: 594.653px; top: 332.267px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.803485);">enjoying cost</span><span style="left: 695.013px; top: 332.267px; font-family: sans-serif;">-</span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 356.587px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.80884);">free internet usage using the different 600 Rokespot</span><span style="left: 493.533px; top: 356.587px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.806049);">s spread across the country.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 392.107px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.810895);">Michael Mukasa, the Chief Commercial Officer at ROKE Telkom expressed his </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 416.587px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.808815);">gratitude to the Facebook team (</span><span style="left: 346.147px; top: 416.587px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.842802);">now meta</span><span style="left: 424.707px; top: 416.587px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.816501);">) for the opportunity </span><span style="left: 585.213px; top: 416.587px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.803904);">extended </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 441.227px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.855771);">to</span><span style="left: 112.192px; top: 441.227px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.818333);">wards ROKE Telkom with the </span><span style="left: 335.427px; top: 441.227px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.817392);">partnership</span><span style="left: 432.093px; top: 441.227px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.799724);">on such a big project that was aimed </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 465.867px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.786618);">at </span><span style="left: 115.392px; top: 465.867px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.80382);">improving connectivity and bridging the internet gap in rural regions</span><span style="left: 638.053px; top: 465.867px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.82113);"> of </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 490.187px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.805875);">Uganda</span><span style="left: 154.267px; top: 490.187px; font-family: sans-serif;">.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 525.707px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.810449);">“It is important to recognize the efforts by Meta channeled towards driving </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 550.347px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.808917);">internet connectivity in regions that are otherwise not well established, improving </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 574.853px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.802019);">their linkage t</span><span style="left: 200.667px; top: 574.853px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.816399);">owards the rest of the world. However, the group will now be </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 599.333px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.803984);">focusing on other projects hence the decision to bring an end to this service.”</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 634.693px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.811703);">“When we launched the Express Wi</span><span style="left: 366.467px; top: 634.693px; font-family: sans-serif;">-</span><span style="left: 372.227px; top: 634.693px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.810597);">Fi service in partnership with Meta, our goal </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 659.333px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.810078);">was to offer a more diversified </span><span style="left: 332.707px; top: 659.333px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.794268);">array </span><span style="left: 376.387px; top: 659.333px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.851984);">of </span><span style="left: 396.067px; top: 659.333px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.801479);">services, improve our customers’ </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 683.973px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.808113);">experiences and position ROKE Telkom as a front runner in </span><span style="left: 545.213px; top: 683.973px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.809766);">making internet </span><span style="left: 670.373px; top: 683.973px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.824689);">more </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 708.453px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.805641);">affordable and accessible. This is still our commitment to our potential and </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 732.933px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.801256);">already existing customers,” Mukasa stated. </span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 768.293px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.811185);">“On behalf of R</span><span style="left: 212.187px; top: 768.293px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.81615);">oke Telkom, we would like to reassure our customers that we </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 792.973px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.808026);">remain committed to delivering reliable, fast, and affordable internet that is </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 817.613px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.808576);">available in our different packages like Rokespot, our innovative Wi</span><span style="left: 606.053px; top: 817.613px; font-family: sans-serif;">-</span><span style="left: 611.813px; top: 817.613px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.797676);">Fi service that </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 842.093px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.797352);">amplifies the quality, accessibi</span><span style="left: 326.467px; top: 842.093px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.811397);">lity, and affordability of the Internet with 600 </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 866.573px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.812807);">locations countrywide,” he commented.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 902.093px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.811619);">Amanya Atuhaire, the ROKE Telkom Brand and Marketing Manager said, “The </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 926.568px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.808609);">Express Wi</span><span style="left: 178.587px; top: 926.568px; font-family: sans-serif;">-</span><span style="left: 184.347px; top: 926.568px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.80103);">Fi internet service will no longer be available for users in Uganda by </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 128.067px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.829878);">end of May</span><span style="left: 186.427px; top: 128.067px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.792166);">202</span><span style="left: 214.747px; top: 128.067px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.805829);">2. I encourage the public to uptake the Rokespot internet service </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 152.707px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.795879);">that can be easily accessed using a mobile phone to purchase a voucher and enjoy </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 177.027px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.804769);">a remarkable experience with high</span><span style="left: 358.627px; top: 177.027px; font-family: sans-serif;">-</span><span style="left: 364.387px; top: 177.027px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.811049);">speed internet at affordable rates.”</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 212.547px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.808455);">“Improving internet accessibility to U</span><span style="left: 377.827px; top: 212.547px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.80205);">ganda can prove beneficial to the people, </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 237.027px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.806333);">especially the youth. Therefore, it’s our plea that as we continue to innovate new </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 261.667px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.797217);">ways to close this internet gap in Uganda, users </span><span style="left: 460.733px; top: 261.667px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.796886);">should take advantage and </span><span style="left: 673.413px; top: 261.667px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.802458);">utilize </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 286.307px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.799972);">it to access helpful and educational sites that </span><span style="left: 441.373px; top: 286.307px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.806902);">can improve their livelihoods and </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 310.627px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.803007);">give them a chance toward an improved standard of living,” Amanya remarked.</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 346.187px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.81094);">According to International Finance Corporation, improving internet access to </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 370.667px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.806159);">reach 75% of the population could create a further 44 million jobs, </span><span style="left: 604.293px; top: 370.667px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.785317);">IFC also </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 395.307px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.813921);">reported a higher figure of the number of people in the whole of Africa with </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 419.947px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.798222);">internet access since the year 2000. The number has soared to more than 520 </span><span style="left: 96.032px; top: 444.267px; font-family: sans-serif; transform: scaleX(0.805027);">million, where 60% of these people access the internet via mobile phones.</span></span></p>
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