Kenya’s leading telco company, Safaricom, is making a bold move to lure back customers who have switched to Starlink by offering lowering its Internet prices.
In a recent marketing messages, Safaricom encouraged customers who had migrated to Starlink to reactivate their fiber accounts for just $38.61 for a 40mbs monthly package that it normally charges $50.19.
Safaricom’s response comes in the wake of Starlink’s aggressive pricing strategy, which has caused concern among leading Internet providers In Kenya. Last week, Starlink announced a new rental option in Kenya, allowing customers to rent a Starlink kit for just $15 a month.
Starlink’s rental option is designed for those who cannot afford to purchase the hardware outright. The kit, which typically retails for $350, can now be rented for $15.15 per month, with an additional one-time activation fee of $21. Customers have the choice between a 50GB data plan for $10 or an unlimited package for $50.50, both offering speeds of up to 200 Mbps. For those who prefer to purchase the hardware, the standard Starlink kit is now priced at $350.
Since its launch in Kenya in July, Starlink has made significant strides in making its service more accessible. The price of the Starlink kit has been drastically reduced from its initial retail price of $687.26, which was considered prohibitive for many potential customers.
Other major Kenyan Internet service providers facing competition from Starlink include Airtel, Zuku, Telkom, and Faiba.
In response to Starlink’s entry into the Kenyan market, Safaricom raised concerns, urging the government to regulate satellite internet providers. In a letter to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), Safaricom suggested that satellite providers should be required to partner with local network operators before obtaining licenses, highlighting the potential impact on the local telecom industry.