Kenyan hardware and connectivity startup BRCK has announced its acquisition of local public WiFi provider Surf, making BRCK one of the largest public WiFi networks in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Launched in 2013, the original BRCK is a rugged router designed for harsh environments with limited connectivity and power. The company has since rolled out further products: the Kio Kit for use in educational institutions; the enterprise-grade SupaBRCK; and the BRCK Moja – which can be used as a free public WiFi hotspot.
The startup has now decided to acquire the assets of Surf, and parent company EveryLayer, adding to its Moja WiFi network, and extending BRCK’s reach to over 2,500 hotspots in Kenya and Rwanda.
The company will serve a community of 500,000 users a month – making it one of the largest public WiFi networks in Sub-Saharan Africa -, and furthering its mission of “connecting Africa to the internet”.
“The team at Surf has done a remarkable job of building public fixed WiFi in Kenya, and we’re happy to have that come under the BRCK umbrella in our mission to create affordable access to the internet at greater scale in Africa,” says BRCK chief executive officer (CEO), Erik Hersman.
BRCK will manage and operate Surf’s hotspots going forward. During the transition process, BRCK will maintain continuity of service for Surf’s current network offering and commit to transparent communication with customers on any network changes.
