This archive report was first published on 26 August 2019.
On August 26, 2019, Airtel Kenya made history by becoming the first telecommunications company in the country to roll out new mobile number prefixes 0100, 0101, and 0102 to its customers, following an announcement by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).
The new prefixes are part of the National Numbering Plan developed in 2002 by the CA, in consultation with ICT industry operators and other stakeholders. The plan aimed to address the increased demand for SIM cards, mobile data, and machine-to-machine (M2M) communications.
According to the CA's Sector statistics report for the quarter January to March 2019, internet access and mobile penetration have grown, with the latter surpassing the 100 per cent mark. The report also highlighted that Airtel customers currently stand at 13.3 million, up from 11.6 million customers in the previous quarter under review.
Airtel Kenya CEO Prasanta Das Sarma urged mobile subscribers to take advantage of the new prefixes, saying, “We are glad to be the first telco to roll out the new prefix numbers and we urge Kenyans looking for new connections to visit any of our SIM selling outlets or Airtel shops and get their new numbers. The new Airtel numbers will be 4G enabled thus allowing customers to continue enjoying the wide array of data products and services.”
The Communications Authority launched the new prefix numbers in May 2019, with the Director General Francis Wangusi explaining that the new prefix was necessitated by increased demand for SIM cards, mobile data, and M2M communications.
