Kenyans talk for record 27.4 billion minutes in three months – CA report
Kenyans spent a record 27.4 billion minutes on phone calls between October and December 2024, according to data from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).
The surge in call durations was driven by mobile promotions and increasing phone penetration, highlighting the growing reliance on mobile communication.
Airtel Kenya customers recorded the longest call durations, nearly doubling the talk time of Safaricom users.
CA attributes this to Airtel’s lower call rates and special offers, which encouraged longer conversations.
On average, an Airtel-to-Airtel call lasted 2.7 minutes, while Safaricom users averaged 1.6 minutes per call, and Telkom Kenya subscribers spent about 1.5 minutes per call.
The data also shows that overall call durations across the three networks; Safaricom, Airtel, and Telkom, rose by 4.6 percent from the previous quarter, when Kenyans spent 26.2 billion minutes on calls.
On a daily basis, Kenyans made an average of 298 million minutes of calls, setting a new record.
The CA noted that this increase was mainly fueled by special promotions, including offers where consumers could pay as little as Sh20 for 10 minutes of all-network calls, 20 SMS, and 50 MB of data.
“The growth is attributed to special offers and promotions run by service providers during the review period, where consumers could pay as low as Sh20 for 10 minutes of all-net calls, 20 SMS, and 50 MB of data,” the report stated.
Mobile Growth and Internet Expansion
Kenya’s mobile sector continues to expand, with the number of active mobile devices reaching 72 million by the end of December.
This includes 41.4 million smartphones and 30.5 million feature phones, reflecting the country’s increasing shift toward digital connectivity.
In addition to voice calls, mobile data usage also grew, with subscriptions rising from 53.7 million in September to 56.1 million by December.
The CA attributed this growth to increased internet-based activities such as streaming, online learning, and remote work, which have driven demand for faster internet services like 4G and 5G.
“Such growth is due to online activities such as streaming movies, online learning, remote work, among others, which have accelerated demand for high-speed internet, leading to increased uptake of higher-generation mobile technologies such as 4G and 5G,” the regulator noted.
Industry experts suggest that lowering taxes on smartphones and other internet-enabled devices could further enhance digital connectivity.
Reducing the cost of these devices would make them more accessible, allowing more people to take advantage of mobile technology and emerging innovations such as artificial intelligence.
By the end of the first quarter of the 2024/25 financial year, Kenya had 70 million active mobile subscriptions, reflecting a 1.6 % increase from the previous quarter’s 68.9 million.
The CA attributed this rise to improved network coverage, affordable smartphones, and better mobile services, including faster internet and new applications.