After facing considerable competition in the voice arena, mobile phone service provider Safaricom has turned its focus on data with the unveiling of Safaricom Business.

The new Safaricom Business unit will market high-speed data services to the corporate and business segments, strengthening the company's position to deliver end-to-end data and voice communication services, said Safaricom CEO Michael Joseph.

The service will be rolled out under the brand name ONEConnect, and Safaricom will offer efficient and effective business communication through its subsidiary, One Communication, he added.

The new product aims to add more customers to the 1 million-plus mobile data subscribers on Safaricom's Edge and 3G platforms.

"Internet penetration in the country is less than five percent, while robust business connectivity options are mostly limited to the main urban centers of Nairobi and Mombasa," Joseph noted.

Under Safaricom Business, the company hopes to roll out high-speed mobile internet services over 3G and fixed data connectivity in all major urban centers to increase penetration in Kenya.

The IDG News Service is a Network World affiliate.