Safaricom is now boasting more 5G sites than Airtel Kenya, placing it at the top in terms of the number of fifth-generation sites against its rival, and aggressive expansion amidst the heating up of competition in the fast-growing data business for the telecommunication industry in Kenya. According to the latest annual report by Safaricom, it had activated 803 5G sites as of the end of March 2024, ahead of Airtel’s 690 sites.
This is a dramatic shift from the previous year where Airtel led with an additional 370 sites as opposed to Safaricom’s 205. In the past one year, Safaricom has added 598 new 5G sites, maximizing its target of 595, while Airtel expanded its network with 320 sites to a total of 690 while also expanding its coverage to 39 counties from the current 16.
Aggressive expansion by Safaricom has increased its 5G coverage to 43 counties out of the 47 in Kenya, from 23 counties a year ago. “Since the activation of our 5G service in March 2021, and its subsequent launch in October 2022, we have expanded network access greatly, with 803 5G sites across 43 out of the 47 Kenyan counties, as at the end of March 2024,” the telecom giant indicated in its report.
Looking forward, Safaricom eyes more than doubling the current 5G sites to above 1,700 within a year, which will consolidate its position as a market leader. The expansion will be part of the company’s wider plans to get people super-fast internet access at work, home, and on the move, supplementing its fast-growing fiber network. This aggressive target underpins the firm’s commitment to ensuring that an increased supply of high-speed internet services is availed throughout the country.
Although the rollout has been rapid, the challenge to adopting 5G technology remains largely because high-end smart gadgets are required, and these require rather expensive data bundles for one to access the network—elements that keep the super-fast 5G service beyond the reach of many users. The move by Airtel to roll out a 5G-enabled router last month could be a potential game-changer. The device will bring 5G to life for those who wish to access the Fifth-Generation mobile connectivity without spending a great deal of money on the purchase of expensive 5G-ready smartphones.
Airtel, the second-biggest telecom operator in Kenya, rolled out its 5G mobile broadband network, taking it only a few months after the first launch made by Safaricom in October 2022. This sets the friction between these giants to drive further innovation and expansion in Kenya’s landscape.