Data Complaints Top Telco Concerns in Kenya

The Communications Authority of Kenya received 479 complaints from consumers who had failed to obtain satisfactory resolution from their service providers between July and September. Data services accounted for 140 of these complaints, representing 29.2 per cent of the total. This marks a significant shift in consumer concerns, with data services overtaking digital financial services and mobile money disputes as the primary source of complaints. The regulator attributed the complaints to premature depletion or disconnection of data services before the expiry of their stated validity period.

Billing and charging of data services attracted 44 complaints, equivalent to 31.4 per cent of all data-related complaints. These complaints primarily relate to the premature depletion or disconnection of data services before the expiry of their stated validity period, resulting in consumers losing the value of the service for which they have paid. Other complaints involved disputed data consumption and deductions, failure to restore services after payment, and providers failing to deliver paid-for services. The CA resolved 37 of the 44 billing and charging complaints through various remedial measures, including compensation and service restoration.

Mobile internet usage is expanding in Kenya, with increasing smartphone penetration. As of June, mobile data subscriptions were 64.3 million, up 9.7 per cent from 58.6 million a year earlier. The CA did not disclose which mobile operator had the most customer complaints. However, Safaricom and Airtel control the bulk of the country’s mobile broadband market, with Safaricom holding 64.4 per cent of mobile broadband subscriptions and Airtel holding 31.9 per cent.

The rising grievances over data highlight growing consumer concerns over the value and reliability of mobile services in a market the World Bank has previously warned has high data prices compared to regional peers. A comparison of the three firms’ mobile data costs shows that Safaricom and Airtel charge Sh1,000 for 25 Gigabytes (GB) of data valid for 30 days. Telkom charges the same amount for a 15GB bundle. For daily bundles, Sh100 on Safaricom buys a 1.8GB bundle, compared to 2.4GB on Airtel.

Digital financial services and mobile money, which have previously dominated consumer complaints, accounted for 57 cases in the three months to September, representing 11.9 per cent of the total. These comprised cases of fraudsters tricking mobile subscribers into revealing sensitive information, impersonation, fake promotions, and fraudulent mobile money transactions. The CA previously recorded 110 complaints relating to digital financial services and mobile money in the quarter to June.

Voice services accounted for 51 complaints, representing 10.6 per cent of the total. Cybercrime and criminal use of ICT infrastructure attracted 49 cases, or 10.2 per cent. Fraud and scams accounted for another 47 complaints, representing 9.8 percent. Overall, the CA received 479 complaints from consumers, of which 422 cases, or 88.1 percent, were resolved, while 57 are under active regulatory follow-up.

The CA’s intervention in such cases includes engaging mobile network operators to investigate complaints and secure refunds, service restoration, or adjustments to customers’ accounts. The regulator’s efforts aim to address consumer concerns and ensure reliable mobile services. As the mobile market continues to grow, the CA will likely face increasing pressure to regulate and monitor service providers to prevent similar complaints in the future.

Key points

• Data services accounted for 29.2% of complaints escalated to the Communications Authority of Kenya between July and September.
• Billing and charging of data services attracted 44 complaints, equivalent to 31.4 per cent of all data-related complaints.
• The CA resolved 422 cases, or 88.1 percent, of the 479 complaints received from consumers.