Facebook has launched Express Wifi, a low-cost internet service in Kenya, in partnership with local internet service provider Surf. This move poses a challenge to Safaricom’s dominance in the market.
The Express Wifi service offers daily, weekly, and monthly bundles at competitive prices. For instance, users can access 40MB of data for Sh10 and 100MB for Sh20 on a daily basis. Weekly bundles start at Sh50 for 300MB, while monthly bundles begin at Sh200 for 1.25GB.
Comparison with Existing Services ¶
In comparison, Safaricom’s weekly data bundles range from 5MB for Sh5 to 130MB for Sh100. Monthly bundles start at 350MB for Sh250 and go up to 12GB for Sh3000. Airtel also offers various data bundles, but the exact pricing is not provided here.
According to Surf Kenya CEO Mark Summer, the prices for Express Wifi may change after the official launch of the service.
Market Impact ¶
If Facebook’s Express Wifi gains traction, it could potentially eat into Safaricom’s customer base. With the average Kenyan consuming around Sh15 worth of data bundles per day, a successful entry by Facebook could have significant implications for the dominant player in the market.
