5G users up 24pc to 373,000 in three months to March

The number of mobile data subscribers onboarded onto the super-fast fifth-generation (5G) network increased 24 percent during the three months to March to 373,573. FILE PHOTO | SHUTTERSTOCK    

By KABUI MWANGI More by this Author

The number of mobile data subscribers onboarded onto the super-fast fifth-generation (5G) network increased 24 percent during the three months to March to 373,573, the

Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) data shows.

This is after it rose from 299,904 in just three months.

The data points to an enhanced consumer appetite for high Internet speeds in the wake of rapidly evolving technological advancements.

The CA said the overall uptake of mobile broadband continues to record growth.

Read: The journey to a 5G future starts now

“The uptake of mobile broadband has continued to increase as the consumers desire faster Internet speeds,” noted the regulator in its quarter three sector statistics report.

The CA data shows that during the referenced quarter, the overall number of mobile data subscriptions rose by 160,000 to hit 47.96 million as of March, out of which 67.1 percent were on mobile broadband.

The 4G network remains the most widely used with more than 21.2 million users up from 20.5 million as of the end of last year.

The 2G network’s subscription base, which comes third, declined during the quarter as did 3G’s, recording a dip from 15.9 million to 15.8 million and from 11.1 million to 10.6 million respectively.

The 5G technology, which is faster than the other three, continues to be out of reach for a majority of mobile users due to its requirement for more expensive smartphones in addition to equally expensive data bundles.

Consumers on the network are forced to pay higher Internet tariffs compared to those offered on 3G and 4G networks to reflect the billions of shillings spent by firms on the infrastructure upgrade.

Safaricom was the first in the eastern African region to commercially launch the 5G high-speed Internet service last October following trials that started in March 2021 within 15 sites in major urban centres that routinely witness increased data traffic.

At the time, the telco’s CEO Peter Ndegwa had indicated that out of the close to 30 million smartphones in use in the country, only about 200,000 are 5G-compatible thanks to the high cost of acquiring such devices.

Most 5G-ready phones, which include mid to high-end devices from technology firms such as Apple and Samsung, are priced from Sh25,000 to more than Sh150,000.

Last week, Kenya’s second-largest telco Airtel also announced plans to roll out the network sometime early next month as it seeks to take on its dominant rival, with a primary focus on high-end select Nairobi neighbourhoods that have the enabled gadgets and the corresponding purchasing power.

Read: Safaricom extends 5G coverage to 21 counties

The telco firms expect a major transition from the 4G technology to happen gradually, with Safaricom indicating that the majority of Kenya’s mobile connections will be on 5G by 2029.

→kmwangi@ke.nationmedia.com