2019 Sustainable Business Report

SAFARICOM SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS REPORT 2019 INTRODUCTION OUR BUSINESS OUR MATERIAL TOPICS STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT CONCLUDING REMARKS 38 LOOKING AHEAD TO 2020 We plan to focus on the following: • Increase the frequency of transmission capacity; • 4G and 4G+ acceleration (rollout of more 4G sites); • Activation of innovative features such as VoLTE (voice over long- term evolution) and VoBB (voice over broadband); • Forging ahead towards becoming a digital services company, using data insights to further delight our customers through revamped customer experience tools and crowdsourced data to gather better insights; • Monitoring new services recently rolled out, such as FTTH and fixed LTE. TECH 3.0: FIT FOR THE FUTURE In the year under review we prioritised technological advancement on our network, focusing on the digitisation of operations and enhancing the digital experience for our customers by using performance monitoring and data- driven insights to improve our network. Smart planning uses data from network KPIs, call data records and crowdsourcing tools to aid network expansion, ensure optimal customer experience and maximise revenues. Smart planning technology informed the planning of 4G site rollouts across the country and improvements to 3G coverage over a densely populated area within Nairobi. BUILDING SKILLS FOR DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION We revised our organisational structure to better deliver digital transformation, relying on over eight weeks of analysis, input and design consultations to develop an operating model that will facilitate this transformation. In service of our Tech 3.0 digital transformation, our workforce has had to follow suit, upgrading to become a world-class team. Beginning in 2019, 60 members of staff attended our Digital Academy, undergoing six months of full-time digital skills training at Strathmore University. The key areas of focus for Tech 3.0 are: • analytics and automation • application programming interfaces (APIs) in networks and IT • embedding customer security in our products and technologies • fostering a data-driven and innovative collaborative culture