Kampala 12th May, 2022 – Express Wi-Fi internet service has come to an end in Uganda following an announcement made by the Internet service provider and Meta (formerly Facebook) partner, ROKE Telkom. The Ugandan home-grown public service provider partnered with Meta to provide high-speed internet to millions ofUgandans in October 2020.

Since its launch, the users of the Express Wi-Fi service have been enjoying cost- free internet usage using the different 600 Rokespots spread across the country.

Michael Mukasa, the Chief Commercial Officer at ROKE Telkom expressed his gratitude to the Meta team for the opportunity extended towards ROKE Telkom with the partnership on such a big project that was aimedat improving connectivity and bridging the internet gap in rural regions of Uganda.

“It is important to recognize the efforts by Meta channelled towards driving internet connectivity in regions that are otherwise not well established, improving their linkage towards the rest of the world. However, the group will now be focusing on other projects hence the decision to bring an end to this service.”

“When we launched the Express Wi-Fi service in partnership with Meta, our goal was to offer a more diversified array of services, improve our customers’ experiences and position ROKE Telkom as a front runner in making internet more affordable and accessible. This is still our commitment to our potential and already existing customers,” Mukasa stated.

“On behalf of Roke Telkom, we would like to reassure our customers that we remain committed to delivering reliable, fast, and affordable internet that is available in our different packages like Rokespot, our innovative Wi-Fi service that amplifies the quality, accessibility, and affordability of the Internet with 600 locations countrywide,” he commented.

Amanya Atuhaire, the ROKE Telkom Brand and Marketing Manager said, “The Express Wi-Fi internet service will no longer be available for users in Uganda by

end of May 2022. I encourage the public to uptake the Rokespot internet service that can be easily accessed using a mobile phone to purchase a voucher and enjoya remarkable experience with high-speed internet at affordable rates.”

“Improving internet accessibility to Uganda can prove beneficial to the people,

especially the youth. Therefore, it’s our plea that as we continue to innovate new ways to close this internet gap in Uganda, users should take advantage and utilizeit to access helpful and educational sites that can improve their livelihoods and give them a chance toward an improved standard of living,” Amanya remarked.

According to International Finance Corporation, improving internet access to reach 75% of the population could create a further 44 million jobs, IFC also reported a higher figure of the number of people in the whole of Africa with internet access since the year 2000. The number has soared to more than 520 million, where 60% of these people access the internet via mobile phones.