Airtel Kenya is showing consistent improvement in its network quality, climbing nearly 14% since 2020, while Safaricom, Kenya’s leading telco by market share, has seen a 10% decline over the same period.
According to the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), Airtel’s current Quality of Service (QoS) score stands at 80%, compared to Safaricom’s 85.71%, which is a noticeable dip from its 2020 score of 95.68%.
CA’s Quality of Service Assessment Framework
The CA introduced the Quality-of-Service Assessment Framework in 2018, requiring telcos to meet a performance threshold of 80%. The 2023/2024 report evaluates Airtel, Safaricom, and Telkom Kenya, excluding Jamii Telecommunications due to its recent entry into the mobile services space.
The report reveals that Kenya’s average countrywide QoS performance is only 73.49%, meaning most telcos do not meet the required standard.
Telco Performance Snapshot
Here’s how Kenya’s main telcos fared in the latest CA report:
- Airtel: Improved to meet the 80% QoS threshold
- Safaricom: Dropped to 85.71% from a previous high of 95.68%
- Telkom Kenya: Scored just 55%, failing to meet the threshold
Only Airtel and Safaricom met the national standard, highlighting growing gaps in service quality.
Declining Customer Experience and Satisfaction
In terms of Quality of Experience (QoE), the CA’s consumer survey paints a concerning picture:
- Safaricom’s consumer rating dropped from 89.4% to 77.6%
- Airtel declined from 87.2% to 69.7%
- Telkom Kenya fell from 84.8% to 64.2%
These figures indicate a nationwide dip in customer satisfaction, despite increased mobile penetration and service availability.
County-Level Coverage and Service Quality
The CA’s latest assessment covered all 47 counties, unlike past reviews that skipped insecure areas.
- Safaricom met the QoS threshold in 30 counties (63.83%)
- Airtel met it in 24 counties (51.06%)
- Telkom met the threshold in just 3 counties (6.38%)
This breakdown shows that while Airtel is rising and Safaricom still leads in reach, Telkom Kenya continues to struggle significantly.
Conclusion
The Airtel and Safaricom network quality comparison shows a shift in Kenya’s telco landscape, with Airtel making significant gains and Safaricom experiencing notable losses in both technical performance and consumer satisfaction.
If trends continue, competition in Kenya’s telecom sector could intensify, especially as customers become more aware of service quality discrepancies.
