Many Safaricom customers have express edmistrust in how they are billed for mobile data and SMS, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) regulatory survey conducted between July 2024 and June 2025.
The survey found that 23 percent of Safaricom subscribers doubt the accuracy of data and text message charges, with only 77 percent believing their data and SMS billing is correct — figures that lag behind competing providers such as Jamii Telecommunications and Airtel.
TRUST ISSUES
This concern arises amid a broader shift in usage patterns: data has overtaken voice as the primary revenue driver for telcos, underscoring how central internet access has become for work, learning, and entertainment. Safaricom’s mobile data revenues increased significantly during the period under review, even as these billing trust issues surfaced.
The CA survey highlighted that Safaricom also ranks lower than rivals on confidence in billing accuracy for call charges and SMS, amplifying customer unease over overall billing transparency. Only 80.2 percent of Safaricom customers surveyed felt they were correctly charged for voice calls — again below competitors.
BILLING ALERTS
Part of the mistrust stems from limited proactive communication: just 18 percent of Safaricom users reported receiving regular monthly billing information, a substantially lower rate than with Airtel and other operators. Without clear, timely billing alerts or detailed usage breakdowns, customers often resort to manual tracking tools and third-party apps to monitor consumption. This contributes to perceptions that data bundles deplete unpredictably and that SMS charges occur without adequate notice.
Restoring confidence, based on the regulator’s insights, will likely require greater tariff transparency, real-time usage alerts, and clearer opt-in/opt-out mechanisms for SMS services.
Enhanced regulatory engagement on these fronts could help address the trust gap that has become apparent even as mobile services expand.
