Telecom Firms Warn Against Mandatory Metered Internet Billing, Cite Higher Costs

Telecommunication companies have expressed strong opposition to the proposed mandatory metered internet billing system, cautioning that it could lead to increased and unpredictable internet expenses for both households and businesses.

Liquid Intelligent Technologies, represented by Vice President Neeraj Pradhan, presented their concerns before the National Assembly Committee on Communication, Information and Innovation during discussions on the Kenya Information and Communications (Amendment) Bill, 2025.

Concerns Raised by Liquid Intelligent Technologies

• Billing Model Issues: Pradhan emphasized that internet services function on a capacity-based infrastructure, not on consumption that depletes a volume of data, making metered billing unsuitable.
• Impact on Users: The shift to metered billing could disrupt fixed and unlimited internet packages, potentially causing "bill shock" due to background data activities like operating system updates and cloud backups that users do not directly control.
• Cost Implications: High-data operations such as cloud migration and remote backups may become prohibitively expensive under a usage-based billing system.
• Privacy Concerns: Continuous granular data tracking required for metered billing raises significant issues around consumer data privacy and surveillance.
• Reduced Internet Usage: Consumers might limit their internet use to manage costs, negatively affecting access to e-government services, online education, video collaboration, and cloud-based technologies.
• Infrastructure and Compliance Costs: The expenses related to implementing and monitoring the metered system could be transferred to consumers, making internet access less affordable.

Parliamentary Dialogue

Committee Chair Mbooni MP Kivasu Nzioka questioned Liquid on the extent of their network coverage beyond urban corridors and how they plan to improve connectivity in underserved areas. Kisumu Central MP Shakeel Shabir called for greater collaboration between the government and private sector to expand digital infrastructure, highlighting opportunities along major transport routes such as Mombasa, Eldoret, and Uganda.

The discussions come as Parliament evaluates amendments that could significantly reshape internet service regulation and telecommunications operations in Kenya.