Menu
Expat.com
Search
Magazine
Search

What is the best cell carrier for me?

jmagill
#1
I will be coming to Africa for the first time in June.  I will be using my phone in Kenya, mostly in Nairobi and Mombasa, mainly for texting, some calls, no internet.  From what I know so far the main carriers are Safaricom, Orange, and Airtel.

I will also travel to Tanzania and Uganda and I expect I would use the same company in each country, just a different sim card.  I know roaming would be an option to that. I hear Safaricom has the best coverage but also highest price in all 3 countries.  I would like opinions on what would be the best carrier for my usage.

Also, do any of the carriers have discount prepaid offers for unlimited texting? If yes, please tell me the offer names?

And finally, I assume prepaid minutes can be purchased easily no matter where i am.  Would that be correct?

Thanks,
Jerry
1 member reacted to this post
See also
pinguinoma
#2
u can used ,.
safaricom ( for local ) + internet for out side = ( Skype is more convenient ,. for send SMS or speak to other countries and more sheap ¡ ,. if u contrat you have u Skype number no problem at all ) ,.
[ u need a good smart phone for that ]
sawa sawa

The Nairobi expat guide

Comprehensive and free

Read it now
Nairobi
Jamboman
#3
Jambo,

@Jerry,
when i am in Kenya i use for telephone and Internet Orange because its a little cheaper as Safaricom.
But Safaricom is the mostly Provider.

Greatings Gerald
freddie26
#4
hi jmagill,the best cell would be safaricom its very efficient and most common here in kenya.
jmagill
#5
Thank you Frederick. When I first started asking people in Kenya about cell carriers, they said the top 2 were safaricom and orange.  But since I been asking what carrier does each person use personally, i have only found 1 who uses Orange. I'm not just talking about this forum.  I have talked to 5 or 6 others who I am in contact with in Kenya.  So this is not a scientific survey by any means.  haha.  But are there any Orange users that want to add anthing here?
Jerry
P
#6
Jerry
Try Airtel.
Thats because if you are going prepaid, then their vouchers are ubiquitous.
And if your are travelling across Africa, roaming (although a limit, but it big enough) is free. Especially east Africa.

And you are not going to be using data, which makes it easier, because I find their connections slow.
Pradeep
jmagill
#7
I think by ubiquitous, you mean they cover all networks? And i don't have to choose to either pay more in Tanzania and Uganda for roaming or get a separate sim in those 2 countries?  And neither safaricom nor Orange do the same?  Sounds great. 
Would you consider the reliability of Airtel to be tantamount to safaricom Pradeep? 
Jerry
P
#8
Jerry,
By ubiquitous I mean that their prepaid top-ups (vouchers) are easily available across East Africa (Kenya included).
On your second question, yes you do not have to pay more if travelling across Tanzania or Uganda on an Airtel Kenya SIM.

In these 3 countries, I would peg Airtel's network coverage at about the same as Safaricom (barring a 5% drop in coverage in Kenya, but that should not bother you as it would happen in remote countryside situations).

Cheers
Pradeep
jmagill
#9
Pradeep, is a voucher the prepaid cards with which one would buy a load of various ksh amounts?  Or is it what in some asian countries what is called a bundle - a special package. 

Like a special package I would hope to find is one offering unlimted texting on all networks.  They usually are good for 24 or 48 hours.
P
#10
Jerry,
The voucher I am referring to is the prepaid voucher for talktime, sms messages, etc.
But yes you do get prepaid voucher bundles specially for texting (for a limited periods). Though I am not sure if they have an unlimited one on offer.

Let me check today when I top-up mine. Will let you know.

Thanks,
Pradeep
jmagill
#11
that would be great if you do find out Pradeep.  I could not find anything online. 

As to safaricom, I found a 500 texts per day bundle, but the webpage was not safaricom so don't know if updated. Here at....
http://pesatalk.com/additional-sms-bund … safaricom/
Thanks again,
Jerry

Essential services for your expat journey

Choose the best health insurance
Choose the best health insurance
Protect your health and get easy access to treatment for expats in Nairobi.
Plan your international move
Plan your international move
Facilitate your move to Nairobi by getting a quote from our top rated movers.
Open a bank account that suits you
Open a bank account that suits you
Discover the best international banks to manage your money securely.
Send money overseas at the best rate
Send money overseas at the best rate
For fast, safe and secure money transfers to and from Nairobi.
Other discussions on telecommunications in Nairobi
Ask your questionOther discussions about telecommunications in Nairobi

Further reading

Phones, internet, and mail in Kenya
New expats in Kenya will want to ensure they can stay connected with friends and family back home, as well as with ...
Work in Nairobi
Expats hoping to find work in Nairobi will find a diverse city with many opportunities, especially in finance, ...
Nairobi Expat Social (NES)
Nairobi Expat Social (NES) was set up on 1 Feb 2010 to provide expats living in Kenya with a social network for ...
Accommodation in Nairobi
Many expats moving to Kenya are likely to find themselves relocating to Nairobi, as it is both the nations capital ...
Childcare and education in Kenya
Kenya provides a public school system, as well as both private and international schools. Although education is ...
Marriage in Kenya
If you are planning a marriage in Kenya, the Registrar of Marriages in Nairobi is the best starting point for ...
The Kenyan lifestyle
Kenya is a welcoming and diverse country, home to over 40 different cultural groups. Although expats are likely to ...
Work permits in Kenya
All overseas workers are legally required to have a work permit to work in Kenya. There are seven work visa ...