Safaricom officially rolled out its 5G network in Kenya late last year. It is the only telco to do so in Kenya with rumors indicating that its rival, Airtel, has plans to roll out 5G in Kenya soon. With the technology still at its infancy in Kenya, adoption numbers keep rising by the day. Safaricom 5G is available in about 20 out of the 47 counties across the country. This is good given that we have had 5G in Kenya for a very short time.
The rollout followed successful trials that commenced in March 2021 across 15 sites in major urban centers with high data traffic. At the time, Safaricom’s CEO, Peter Ndegwa, highlighted that out of the nearly 30 million smartphones in use in the country, only approximately 200,000 were 5G-compatible due to the high costs associated with acquiring such devices.
According to the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA), the number of mobile data subscribers on 5G has seen a remarkable 24 percent increase in the three months leading up to March, reaching a total of 373,573 users. This surge represents a significant jump from the previous figure of 299,904 users recorded in just three months.
In the report, the regulator stated, “The uptake of mobile broadband has continued to increase as consumers desire faster Internet speeds.” The number of 5G handsets from the major manufacturers has also been on the rise for the last 12 months. This plays a very crucial role in its adoption and as more 5G devices make their way to Kenya, we expected to see this number go up.
During the same quarter, the total number of mobile data subscriptions grew by 160,000, reaching 47.96 million by the end of March. Out of these subscriptions, 67.1 percent were attributed to mobile broadband usage.
Currently, the 4G network remains the most widely used, with over 21.2 million users, marking an increase from 20.5 million at the end of the previous year. On the other hand, both the 2G and 3G networks experienced declines in subscriber numbers during the quarter. The 2G network saw a decrease from 15.9 million to 15.8 million, while the 3G network declined from 11.1 million to 10.6 million.
However, the high-speed 5G technology is still out of reach for the majority of mobile users due to the requirement for more expensive smartphones and data bundles. Consumers on the 5G network are compelled to pay higher Internet tariffs compared to those offered on 3G and 4G networks, reflecting the substantial investments made by companies in infrastructure upgrades.
Safaricom currently has the following 5G monthly bundles valid for 30 days:
Safaricom 5G Wi-Fi Packages
| Price (Ksh) | Data | Validity |
| 3,499 | 400 GB | 30 Days |
| 5,999 | 800 GB | 30 Days |
| 9,999 | 1500 GB | 30 Days |
You are still free to use your current data on 5G but the above listed are specifically created for those with 5G devices.