Safaricom rolled out B-Live last week, a new data product that lets customers buy internet access by time rather than megabytes. Prices range from KES 20 for 1 hour, KES 30 for 1.5 hours, KES 50 for 3 hours, KES 75 for 4.5 hours, and KES 150 for 6 hours. Some customers, however, get customised options — on my line, for example, only 1.5 hours at KES 30 and 4.5 hours at KES 50 are available.
| Price (KES) | Validity |
|---|---|
| 20 | 1 hour |
| 30 | 1.5 hours |
| 50 | 3 hours |
| 75 | 4.5 hours |
| 150 | 6 hours |
The bundles can be used for all apps and hotspotting still works. But they come under a fair usage policy. Safaricom has not disclosed how much usage triggers throttling, even though such limits are clearly stated for its 5G routers and fibre products. That lack of clarity risks fuelling the same mistrust that has long surrounded its data bundles.
The product is meant to ease years of complaints about fast-draining data. By tying internet to time instead of volume, Safaricom offers predictability for streaming, browsing or downloads. Yet value for money will depend on how FUP is enforced, and whether connections stay stable during a session.
