Safaricom Launches Hourly Data Bundles to Address Customer Frustration
TLDR
- Safaricom, Kenya’s largest telecom operator, has rolled out a new product that allows customers to buy mobile internet by the hour
- The service, called B-Live, offers packages starting at KES 20 ($0.16) for one hour, up to KES 150 ($1.16) for six hours
- By shifting billing to time-based sessions, Safaricom is offering predictability for streaming, browsing, or downloads
Safaricom, Kenya’s largest telecom operator, has rolled out a new product that allows customers to buy mobile internet by the hour instead of by data volume, in a shift that could reshape how consumers pay for connectivity.
The service, called B-Live, offers packages starting at KES 20 ($0.16) for one hour, up to KES 150 ($1.16) for six hours. Usage is tied strictly to time, regardless of data consumption.
The move is aimed at addressing widespread complaints from users that data bundles deplete too quickly. By shifting billing to time-based sessions, Safaricom is offering predictability for streaming, browsing, or downloads. The product, tested since July, restricts hotspot use and applies a fair-usage policy that could throttle speeds for heavy users.
No rival in Kenya currently offers uncapped, time-based bundles. Safaricom’s advantage lies in its extensive 4G coverage—about 96% nationwide—and growing 5G footprint, which ensure stable connections essential for hourly bundles.
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Key Takeaways
Safaricom’s B-Live leverages the company’s infrastructure edge. Investments in spectrum, 4G densification, and early 5G deployment give it a competitive advantage in rolling out time-based pricing. The innovation directly tackles customer mistrust around “vanishing data,” but risks remain. Without transparency on fair-usage thresholds, complaints may persist in a new form. Still, for Safaricom, which dominates with nearly two-thirds of Kenya’s mobile market, the product could deepen customer loyalty while differentiating it from cheaper, volume-based offerings by Airtel, Telkom, and Faiba. If successful, B-Live may set a new standard for telecom pricing in Africa, shifting competition from volume toward quality and reliability of connections.
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