Mobile operators add 3.5 million new subscribers

A chart showing market share for mobile subscriptions per operator.  New statistics from the Communications Commission of Kenya show that Kenya had 38.3 million mobile phone subscribers in the first three months of this year up from 37.7 million during the previous period. (CHART: COURTESY)

New statistics from the Communications Commission of Kenya show that Kenya had 38.3 million mobile phone subscribers in the first three months of this year up from 37.7 million during the previous period.

Safaricom gained a market share of 0.9 percentage points to post 65.6 per cent up from 64.7 per cent market share posted during the previous quarter. Airtel Networks on the other hand lost its market share by 1.7 per cent to register 17.5 per cent market share. In compliance with the new SIM card regulations which require new mobile subscribers to produce identification documents, the operator carried out a SIM barring exercise in mid-December 2015 which led to the disconnection of over 500, 000 subscribers.