Kenya Insights

Tag: Communications Authority of Kenya (CA)

  • Tourists Coming To Kenya Will Be Required To Provide IMEI Numbers For Their Mobile Phones, KRA Says

    Tourists Coming To Kenya Will Be Required To Provide IMEI Numbers For Their Mobile Phones, KRA Says

    All passengers entering Kenya starting January 1, 2025, will be required to declare and register their mobile devices’ International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) numbers at the port of entry.

    The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) has announced that each mobile device intended for use in the country must be listed, along with its IMEI number, on the F88 passenger declaration form.

    The new measure, implemented in collaboration with the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), seeks to improve the monitoring of imported devices and ensure tax compliance.

    According to KRA, both tourists and returning residents must declare any mobile devices they plan to use within Kenya’s borders, making the F88 declaration a necessary step upon entry.

    “Passengers entering the territory of Kenya will declare the details and the respective IMEI numbers for their mobile devices intended for use, during the stay in the country at the Port of entry on the F88 passenger declaration form,” KRA said in a notice.

    Additionally, all Importers of Mobile Devices will be required to submit detailed import entries for all mobile devices with accurate quantities, proper model descriptions/specifications, and their respective IMEI numbers in the Customs system.

    The Authority added that device assemblers and manufacturers must register on the Customs portal and submit a report of all devices assembled for the local market and their respective IMEI numbers.

    Privacy concerns

    While the directive has raised concerns about privacy issues, the CA emphasised the importance of the initiative, noting that it is “mandatory for the registration of devices in the National Master Database on Tax-Compliant Devices.”

    The authority reiterated that the database would help verify each device’s tax compliance status, contributing to a secure and regulated telecommunications environment within Kenya.

    Mobile network operators will be required to connect devices only after verifying their compliance through a whitelist database maintained by the CA.

    “The authority will provide means by which tax compliance status of mobile devices can be verified before purchase by retailers or end-users,” the CA added.

    The Authority warned that devices not meeting these requirements will be subject to restrictions, including grey-listing, which provides time for compliance, or blacklisting if compliance is not achieved.

    “The new requirement will only apply to all devices imported or assembled in the country from November 1, 2024. All existing devices that will be on the mobile networks by October 31, 2024, will not be affected. This initiative aims to ensure the integrity and tax compliance of mobile devices within Kenya,” the authority clarified.

    KRA said additional guidance on the registration process for incoming travellers and further details on compliance steps will be communicated before the January 2025 enforcement date.

    “The Public is therefore notified of this requirement, which will be implemented effective January 1, 2025. Specific guidelines on the system process and how to capture the devices and IMEI numbers for different users will be shared in due course,” KRA said.

  • Elon Musk’s Starlink Propels To Top Internet Providers In Kenya

    Elon Musk’s Starlink Propels To Top Internet Providers In Kenya

    Tesla billionaire Elon Musk’s satellite internet firm Starlink has captured a 0.5 percent share of Kenya’s internet market in its first full year of operation in the country, amassing a subscriber base that totalled 8,063 users at the end of June this year, new data shows.

    Fresh statistics from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) indicate that the growth rate has propelled the multinational into the top ten list of dominant internet service providers (ISPs) in the country, enjoying an equal pie of the market with Vijiji Connect Limited, which launched operations in 2020.

    Safaricom maintained its firm grip on the market growing marginally to control a market share of 36.4 percent, up from 36.2 percent in June last year, followed by Jamii Telecommunications Limited (JTL), whose share grew to 24 percent from 23.7 percent last year.

    Wananchi Group Limited (Zuku), on the other hand, saw its market control shrink during the period to 17.5 percent from 21.6 percent last year.

    “Safaricom Plc reported the largest market share of 36.4 percent followed by Jamii Telecommunications Ltd and Wananchi Group at 24.0 and 17.5 percent respectively. Starlink Internet Services Kenya, which was licensed earlier in the financial year to provide satellite internet services, had a market share of 0.5 percent as of June 30, 2024,” wrote CA in its latest sector statistics report.

    Starlink, which is an outgrowth of Musk’s space technology firm SpaceX, operationalized services within the local market in late July last year, setting the stage for what analysts termed ‘a consequential industry disruption’ that would see the battle for the fast-expanding market intensify among the top ISPs.

    Satellite internet users

    Between April and June this year, CA notes, Kenya’s utilised satellite internet capacity – which reflects the total internet access speed that the technology can provide per second – increased rapidly to 840.448 gigabits per second (Gbps) up from 48.438 Gbps in the previous quarter, a more than 16-fold jump, courtesy of Starlink services uptake in the country.

    “Satellite subscriptions maintained an upward trend following the launch of Starlink services during the year, with 96.9 percent of satellite customers subscribed to speeds between 100 Mbps and 1 Gbps,” notes the industry regulator.

    The overall satellite internet subscriptions in the country grew monumentally during the year from 405 as of June last year to 8,324 at the end of the review period.

    “This growth is attributed to the licensing and subsequent launch of Starlink Internet Services Kenya earlier in the financial year,” said CA.

    “This trend is expected to continue in the coming periods considering that this technology provides high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity, especially in areas where internet is currently unavailable or unreliable.”

    The disclosures by the regulator point to a growing appetite among users for more personalised attention and quality services, with market disruption already taking shape as traditional players start exhibiting distress signs.

    In August this year, market leader Safaricom wrote a letter of protest letter to the CA asking it to review the policy of licensing independent ISPs in what was widely seen as an attempt to censor Starlink.

    In its petition, the telco argued that indiscriminate permit approvals to such firms could give rise to illegal connections and harmful interference to mobile networks.

    In what was seen as a veiled response by the government, President William Ruto, while on a visit to the US last month, backed Starlink’s operations in the country, saying that the firm’s conduct was in line with the State’s policy of deepening internet penetration and encouraging competition in the market.

    Price wars

    In an attempt to dodge a price war with the multinational, Safaricom last month increased its home fibre internet speeds by up to five times as part of efforts to protect revenues and guard its customer base.

    A major strength for Starlink against its competitors is its ability to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to remote and previously underserved areas, making it an ideal product for Kenya’s rural settings where traditional Internet services are limited or unreliable.

    Since entering Kenya, Starlink has seen its operations model undergo a raft of amends as part of its strategy to net a wider base of subscribers.

    At the onset, the service had proved to be a deterrent due to its prohibitive cost, after it emerged that one needed at least Sh100,000 for installation, the bulk of which was the purchase price of the hardware kit at Sh89,000.

    The cost of the kit has since been reduced to Sh45,500.

    In June this year, the multinational introduced a 50 gigabyte (GB) monthly data package at a rate of Sh1,300, which is less than half the price of Airtel, which charges Sh3,000 for a similar package.

    Safaricom, on the other hand, sells a 47GB data package that includes 2,500 talk minutes and 5,000 SMS for Sh5,000.

    Last month, Starlink introduced a rental plan for the installation hardware kit, with users paying a monthly rate of Sh1,950 as opposed to a one-off purchase at Sh45,500, in addition to the Sh1,300 charge for the 50GB data plan or the Sh6,500 monthly service fee for an unlimited internet package.

    The firm has also lined up plans to launch new satellites with the ability to connect and deliver internet directly to subscribers’ mobile devices without the need for a hardware kit from next year.

  • Communications Authority Revises Broadcasting Rules

    Communications Authority Revises Broadcasting Rules

    The Communication Authority of Kenya has published the 4th edition of the Programming Code for Broadcasting Services.

    The revised guidelines have been set out for all media outlets in the country in order to facilitate responsible use of the broadcasting platform.

    In a gazette notice published Tuesday, FTA broadcasters shall, within one year of award of licence, ensure that at least 40% of their station’s programming is local content.

    Broadcasters should ensure their programmes protect children from adult content noting that material unsuitable for children should not be shown between 5.00am and 10.00pm.

    “The transition from family-oriented to adults only programming after the watershed period of 10.00pm shall be gradually executed.” Stated the notice.

    According to the new directives, the free-to-air broadcasters are required to prepare and provide the broadcast signal distributor with an electronic programme guide for audiences to use to access information relating to the schedule of programme materials for all broadcasting services it carries.

    On broadcast voting, they must be conducted fairly ensuring that viewers and listeners are not materially misled about any broadcast competition.

    Similarly, on election coverage, media outlets are required to offer consistent pricing for airtime purchased by parties and candidates.

    Broadcasters also are expected to take specific steps to promote the understanding and enjoyment of programmes transmitted through its stations by persons who are physically challenged and in particular, persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who are blind or partially sighted.

    CA wants broadcasters to establish a complaint handling procedure as specified by the Authority.

    Consequently, the new code expects broadcaster to make appropriate arrangements to ensure that complaints are received and recorded by a responsible person during normal office hours.

    In addition, broadcasters are required to obtain relevant license from the Betting Control and licensing Board, BCLB, to air any gaming promotional activities.

    On copyright obligations, broadcasters shall be responsible for all obligations and liabilities to any third party associated with copyright or other rights that may arise from the broadcast of copyright programmes.

    Online radio and TV service providers operating in Kenya or whose services target Kenya and undertake streaming services shall ensure that the content provided on their platforms, fully complies with the relevant provisions of the Law, Programming Code and supporting Broadcasting Sector Guidelines where applicable.

    CA also says sex and related subjects must be treated with care and must conform to what is generally acceptable to Kenyan society. The authority warned that any programmes involving such subjects must conform to the requirements of the watershed and rating by the Kenya Film Classification Board or its successor thereof.

    The Authority noted that the Programming Code will be supported by Broadcasting Sector Guidelines based on industry needs and requirements.

    “The reviewed Programming Code was arrived at through a public consultation process and was gazetted on 8th March 2024 via Kenya Gazette notice No. 2726 in Kenya Gazette Vol. CXXVI No.29.” Stated the notice.

    The Communications Authority of Kenya stressed that the guidelines are set to come into effect in the next 30 days warning that the broadcasters that fail to adhere risk revocation of their licenses.