Safaricom has this morning launched Kenya’s first 5G network. With this launch, Safaricom says that it has introduced the fastest internet speeds in Kenya since the first launch of internet in the country over 2 decades ago.
Safaricom has been testing 5G in Kenya for a while now but in select locations across the country. The company has not been in a hurry to roll out 5G in the country for reasons best known to them. The company has previously stated that 4G penetration and usage in its network is around 1/3 and this might be the reason why it was never in a hurry to launch 5G. 4G handsets have been available locally for years and if a significant portion of its user base is not using 4G yet, there is no hurry to launch 5G just yet.
The company has also stated before that 15 million people on its network are currently on 2G. All this is to show that even though we want 5G to roll out, the reality on the ground is that it is not really a priority for most subscribers.
Safaricom 5G for 5G smartphones in Kenya
If you are in a covered area as you will see below in this post, you will be able to access Safaricom 5G as from today if you have a supported device. At the moment, the Safaricom 5G can be accessed by 5G devices from Huawei, OPPO, Samsung Galaxy S and Fold series. There is not mention about 5G support for devices from Xiaomi, Infinix and others. For now, it looks like they will not be supported but that should change in the coming months. For select Samsung devices and iPhone, users will have to wait for a software update before being able to connect to Safaricom 5G.
Read: The OPPO Reno 8 Series is now available in Kenya starting from Ksh 43,000
Enter Safaricom 5G Home Wi-Fi
In Kenya, Safaricom is not launching 5G as we expected it to. The company is launching Home 5G Wi-Fi, a fixed wireless connectivity product. This should complement Safaricom Home Fibre in Kenya and is targeting those in areas not covered by Home Fibre.
With Safaricom 5G Home Wi-Fi, you will be able to buy a router and bundle to get started. This can be for individuals at home or businesses. I see businesses taking advantage of this more as faster speeds are always better depending on the kind of work you do.
Where can you get Safaricom 5G in Kenya
You can get Safaricom 5G in the following areas,. Safaricom says that it will increase the number of sites available to 200 by 2023.
|
County |
Area |
Place/Estate |
|---|---|---|
| Nairobi | Kilimani | Yaya Centre Mall, Kiluwa Apartments, Silverstone Apartments, Yaya Apartments, Kasuku Court, Abi Allan Apartments, Mango Court Apartments |
| Nairobi | Langata | Uhuru Gardens |
| Nairobi | South C | Park View Estate |
| Nairobi | Rongai | Rangau |
| Nairobi | Westlands | Safaricom HQ |
| Kiambu | Kiambu Town | Riverview estate, Golden Palm, Silver Gardens |
| Kiambu | Ruaka | Two Rivers Mall |
| Kiambu | Ruiru | Jerusalem, Mugutha, Murera, Murera Matangi |
| Thika | Juja | Juja South Estate, Murema Estate, Sunset Park, Oak Park Estate |
| Machakos | Athi River | Baraka Gardens Estate, Acacia Estate, Osoit Gardens Estate |
| Machakos | Kamulu | Kamulu Stage |
| Kajiado | Oloitoktok | Ol Tukai |
| Kisumu | Kisumu CBD | Kiboswa, Maseno University, Lower Riat Estate, Kisumu Airport, Mamboleo Estate, Kisumu CBD, Kisumu Bus Station |
| Mombasa | Likoni | Mombasa Hospital, Fort Jesus |
| Kisii | Kisii CBD | Kisii CBD, Kisii Bus terminus, Kisii Teaching and Referral Hospital, Kisii University |
| Kakamega | Sichirai | Kakamega State Lodge |
Safaricom 5G Home Wi-Fi Packages and prices
To get started, you need a router that goes for Ksh 25,000. If this is not ideal for you, you can choose to have a 36-month contract with Safaricom. A one-off setup fee of Ksh 5000 is required to complete the process.
| package | Price (Monthly) | Speeds | Fair Use | Throttle speed |
| Package 1 | 3500 | 10 | 300 GB | 1 MBps |
| Package 2 | 6000 | 40 | 500 GB | 3 MBps |
| Package 3 | 15000 | 100 | 1000 GB | 3 MBps |
What is 5G?
If you are still in the dark, 5G allows for a new kind of network connectivity that is designed to “virtually everyone and everything together including machines, objects, and devices,” according to Qualcomm. With 5G wireless technology, you can expect higher multi-Gbps peak data speeds, ultra low latency, more reliability, massive network capacity, increased availability, and a more uniform user experience to more users. Higher performance and improved efficiency empower new user experiences and connects new industries.
With that in mind, 5G is beyond mobile devices as it is meant to connect a number of devices within a certain range. With more devices manufactured with connectivity at their core, 5G connectivity will be crucial for their use in the coming years.