Kuwait’s Ministry of Communications (MoC) has launched the second phase of a project to expand GPON-based fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) broadband services, involving ministry and partner companies’ staff carrying out in-premises installation work. Residents receiving a GPON connection gain access to internet access speeds of up to 100Mbps, with no additional charge or hike in annual subscription for upgrading from ADSL, according to the ministry, quoted by the Kuwait Times.
TeleGeography notes that the MoC’s GPON network rollout initially reached ‘over 16 areas’, having previously disclosed plans to extend GPON coverage to 50% of Kuwaiti households in 2018, ahead of a third phase deployment project to achieve a 100% fibre broadband footprint. The Kuwait Times’ report reiterates that the third (‘and final’) phase of the project will ‘encompass all residential areas’ and will include the provision of IPTV over fibre connections as an alternative or replacement for satellite pay-TV. Broadband services are provided to end-users via affiliated ISPs KEMS (consumer) and Zajil Telecom (corporate), alongside rival Kuwaiti ISPs which also access the GPON infrastructure.