Mobile Internet Service Providers And Charges In Kenya

This article is no longer updated as we update the information on africansignals.com instead.

There are currently four mobile operators in Kenya and all of them provide Internet services as well. We recommend using Safaricom where 3G (third generation mobile Internet) is available and Orange elsewhere.

All providers now offer volume based billing, where you pay for how much data you use, instead of per minute billing. Volume based means that you can be connected all the time but you only pay when you use the Internet.

Volume based billing is measured in MegaBytes (MB).

Connection speeds

Operator	Technology	Speed
Orange	2G (EDGE)	0.24 Mpbs
	3G (CDMA)	1.8 Mbps
Safaricom	2G (EDGE)	0.24 Mbps
	3G (HSDPA)	7.2 Mbps
Yu	2G (EDGE)	0.24 Mbps
Zain	2G (EDGE)	0.24 Mbps

Remember that all these speeds are the theoretical maximum speeds. You would have to be the only user on the antenna and climb up to the top of it to get these theoretical speeds.

Also keep in mind that Internet connection speed is measured in Mbps (Megabit per second) and data in general (storage, bundles below) are measured in MB (MegaByte). 1 Byte = 8 bits.

Orange

Orange offers standard 2G (second generation mobile Internet) in most areas. They also offer 3G in a few places – much more limited than Safaricom. Orange has chosen a cheaper 3G technology (EVDO/ CDMA) than Safaricom for their 3G network. This may mean that they will be able to offer cheaper rates in the future but for now it only means that their 3G service is four times slower than Safaricom’s.

Since Orange is a new provider they do not have the problem that Safaricom has with too many users per antenna. This will make the speed of Orange faster where only 2G is available. At least initially until their user base expands.

Orange recently changed their billing from per minute to per data transferred. They offer the smallest bundles. The modem offered with their Internet Everywhere subscription will unfortunately only work with their 2G technology. This means that once they offer 3G in your area you will have to buy a new modem.

A modem costs 2,999 Kes. Their standard rate i 7 Kes per MB and the following bundles are available. They all require activation.

MB	Kes	Valid (days)	Kes per MB
25	150	2	6
50	250	30	5
100	450	30	4.5
250	850	30	3.4

Safaricom

Safaricom is the only provider who offers true 3G. Their 3G technology is 4 times faster than Orange’s equivalent thus making Safaricom the best option in areas where they have upgraded their antennas to 3G.

In areas where they have not yet upgraded to 3G and they have a lot of users (read Lamu) their service is sometimes slow and unreliable. This is because all users of one antenna share the same connection speed. Rumors say that the Lamu antenna will be upgraded within two weeks.

Safaricom also offer 3G at more places than Orange. 3G is available in Malindi, Mombasa, Nairobi, Naivasha among others.

The modem offered with their Safaricom Live subscription supports both 2G and 3G. A modem costs 3,999 Kes.

Safaricom’s standard rate is 8 Kes per MB. For prepaid they offer the following bundles. The following bundles requires acitivation.

MB	Kes	Valid (days)	Kes per MB
300	999	30	3.33
700	1,999	30	2.86
1000	2,499	30	2.50

Larger bundles are available for postpaid. Smaller bundles are automatically activated when topping up with a certain amount.

MB	Kes	Kes per MB
40	250	6.25
100	500	5

Yu

Investigating.

Zain

Zain offers 2G at 7 Kes per MB. They also offer a postpaid subscription with unlimited usage for 3,999 Kes a month when signing up for a year. Be sure to check the connection to your antenna before signing up since there is no refund and Zain does not separate data and voice traffic everywhere.

This service is known to work well in Nairobi but has had lot of problems in Lamu. Zain has two antennas in Lamu – one on the mainland and one in Lamu Town. The one on the mainland also covers Shela and is the one that had problems in the past.