The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) regularly monitors the quality of mobile cellular services provided by mobile network operators as part of its consumer protection mandate. This is undertaken through a Quality-of-Service (QoS) Assessment Framework established in 2017, which evaluates performance across three key components: End-to-End testing (via drive and walk tests), Network Performance (NP-QoS), and Quality of Experience (QoE) based on customer surveys.
During the FY 2024–2025 review period, the Authority conducted a comprehensive assessment across all three operators using these parameters, integrating technical performance data with customer satisfaction and perception insights.
The findings position Safaricom PLC as Kenya’s leading network on quality, reliability, and consistency, even as the broader industry faces a decline in overall performance. Safaricom recorded an overall QoS score of 89.72%, well above the regulatory threshold of 80%, ahead of Airtel Kenya (81.14%) and significantly outperforming Telkom Kenya (52.76%), which fell below compliance levels.
Safaricom leads across all core metrics, most notably in end-to-end network quality where it achieved 90.36%, the highest in the market. It is also the only operator to meet QoS targets across all five regional clusters, demonstrating consistent nationwide service delivery.
Importantly, this performance is independently validated by the regulator, reinforcing the impact of sustained investment in network infrastructure and service quality.
- Resilience in a Declining Industry
The Communications Authority of Kenya report highlights a four-year downward trend in overall industry performance, driven by increasing data demand and pressure on network infrastructure.
Against this backdrop, Safaricom has maintained strong performance levels and the highest customer experience score (70%), even as satisfaction declines across the sector.
- Setting the Benchmark for Nationwide Connectivity
The results highlight Safaricom as the only operator delivering consistently high-quality performance at a national scale, combining network reliability, customer trust, and operational strength.
As Kenya’s digital economy accelerates, the report provides clear, regulator-backed confirmation of Safaricom’s market leadership in network quality, consistently and nationwide, setting the benchmark for the sector while competitors face increasing pressure to close the gap.
