Safaricom has finally rolled out its 5G internet after testing for the couple of months. Subscribers who don’t have fibre coverage within their areas but still would like to enjoy fast internet speeds from the service provider can now opt for 5G instead, provided they have coverage within their respective areas. The service provider has unveiled 5G Wi-Fi which is pegged on 5G technology to connect customers to a high-speed and reliable internet.
Even though Safaricom has rolled out this service, there remains caveats and snags that will prevent anyone interested to subscribe to the network. To start with, 5G coverage is still limited to specific areas within various towns; for example, while the technology has been rolled out within Westlands in Nairobi, it’s currently only available around Safaricom’s HQ which does not qualify people within westlands area near Naivas or the Mall. But if your area is covered (confirm from Safaricom’s website), then 5G might be just what you need to enjoy fast internet speeds.
5G Wi-Fi packages start from Ksh 3,499 for 10Mbps to Ksh 14,999 for 100Mbps. Something to note, each package comes with a throttle volume; meaning, your speeds will be throttled for the rest of the month once you’ve exhausted the package throttle volume – kind of the way fair usage policy works.
Safaricom’s 5G Wi-Fi Packages
| 10 MBPS | 40 MBPS | 100 MBPS |
| 300GB Volume | 500GB Volume | 1000GB Volume |
| Throttle speed (1MBPs) | Throttle speed (3MBPs) | Throttle speed (3MBPs) |
| Throttle Volume (300GB) | Throttle Volume (1000GB) | Throttle Volume (1000GB) |
| Ksh 3,499 | Ksh 5,999 | Ksh 14,999 |
| Valid for 30 days (Inc. Tax) | Valid for 30 days (Inc. Tax) | Valid for 30 days (Inc. Tax) |
Additionally, you’ll need to purchase a 5G router from Safaricom at Ksh 25,000 including a one-off setup fee of Ksh 5,000. Assuming you want to subscribe to the lowest package, you’ll need a total of Ksh 33,499 which by far very expensive to the average Kenyan and well above what you need to connect to available fibre internet providers such as Zuku and Faiba.
How to get connected to Safaricom’s 5G WiFi home internet
- On your phone, dial *400#
- Then select 5G Wi-Fi
- You can then access available 5G Wi-Fi plans, check account status, renew plan, upgrade/downgrade plan, know about 5G Wi-Fi and so forth.
- You can check coverage and request a call back at https://internet.safaricom.co.ke/