Safaricom, Kenya’s largest telecoms operator, is pushing deeper into the low-cost broadband market with internet plans starting at KES 800 ($6) a month, competing with smaller internet providers and estate Wi-Fi operators that have long served price-sensitive customers.
The company is also testing a pay-as-you-go internet service called Wi-Fi Bamba in low income areass, including Kawangware, Kangemi and Kiambu Bus Park. The pilot has more than 800 active users, targeting budget-conscious customers and people in high-footfall areas such as markets and bus parks, Safaricom told TechCabal on Friday.
The move pits Safaricom against operators like Vilcom, Ahadi Wireless and Poa! Internet that have built businesses serving price-sensitive households, one of the few parts of Kenya’s internet market where the telecom giant has not enjoyed the same dominance it holds in mobile services.
“Wi-Fi Bamba is currently in the pilot phase within densely populated areas of Nairobi and Kiambu, specifically Kawangware, Kangemi, and Kiambu Bus Park,” Safaricom told TechCabal in a statement. “Subject to a successful and commercially viable pilot, we plan to scale the product to similar neighbourhoods across Kenya.”
