Contents 1 Mobile phone networks 2 Safaricom 2.1 General information 2.2 Mobile phone settings 3 Comments

Mobile phone networksEdit

Kenya is one of the most advanced countries in terms of mobile phone functionality. It was one of the first to provide mobile payment systems.

Coverage is already good, except for the very remote areas in the north, but mobile towers are sometimes overloaded. The mobile network is rapidly being expanded.

Kenya has four mobile phone service providers (as of 2011). This page currently covers only one.

SafaricomEdit

General informationEdit

Detailed up-to-date information: Safaricom's web site

Information for travellers: Kenya Safari Travel Plan

Safaricom is a long-standing service provider with good coverage also outside cities.

It is easy to buy or recharge a Safaricom prepaid card nearly anywhere in Kenya. By SMS or service command (dialling a special number) you can book a data pack and pay it with the balance on your SIM card.

Data bundles range from 50 MB to 30 GB (as of 2011). Prices are roughly around 1 KSh (roughly 1 US cent) per MB. Most expire after 30 days; the biggest expire after 90 days. But they can be extended by buying another data bundle before the current one expires.

Due to the relatively low attainable data rates in many parts of the country, a self-driving traveller, even using online navigation, may not use much more than 100 MB per week. Therefore, if you have no prior experience and do not know how much you will need, it may be best to buy a smaller data pack and buy another one when needed. It is also a good idea to transfer your phone balance to a friend in Kenya and give away the SIM card with an unfinished data bundle before you leave the country.

Note that Safaricom (and other operators) offer various interesting mobile-phone-based payment systems. For example, it is possible to send part of your phone balance to another phone or to a cash pay out station.

Mobile phone settingsEdit

It is possible to obtain the settings automatically by sending an SMS or entering a system command on the phone. But they are also easy to set manually.

APN name:	safaricom
Username:	saf
Password:	data
Authentication type (if required):	normal

There is also an enabling procedure, that you may or may not have to perform. Dial *544#, then enter a 7 and send. [Please check and edit this paragraph accordingly. Since I have already performed this procedure, I can no longer find out whether it was actually necessary.]