Safaricom has flipped Kenya’s mobile internet model on its head with the launch of B-Live, a groundbreaking time-based data bundle that allows customers to pay for browsing by the hour instead of volume.
For as little as $0.16 (KES 20), customers can enjoy uninterrupted internet for one hour. Other options include $0.39 (KES 50) for three hours and $1.16 (KES 150) for six hours.
Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi, Safaricom Chief Consumer Business Officer, said the life-changing consumer package offers predictable costs whether users are streaming lectures, working on the go, or uploading content.
For years, Kenyans have complained about data bundles “disappearing too fast,” often without clarity on where their MBs or GBs went. By shifting the model from volume to time, Safaricom says B-Live directly addresses this pain point.
“We recognise that our customers are different. Some prefer managing their usage in MBs or GBs, while others simply want to enjoy the internet for a set period. By adding this option, we’re putting control back in the hands of our customers and enabling them to focus on what matters most, whether that’s learning, creating, connecting, or hustling,” said Ali-Kimanthi.
She revealed that B-Live is available via *544# and *555#, giving customers the flexibility to choose time-based sessions on Safaricom’s expansive 4G and 5G networks.
Safaricom’s infrastructure reach, covering 96% of Kenya, makes the product uniquely viable compared to rivals Airtel, Telkom, and Faiba, which still rely on volume-based bundles.
The innovation, however, comes with a few limits. Customers will not be able to hotspot, and heavy usage may result in reduced speeds under a fair usage policy. Still, no other operator in Kenya currently offers time-based browsing sessions of this scale and flexibility.
Ali-Kimanthi is confident that the move will redefine digital access in Kenya, especially for students and hustlers who need predictable costs. “B-Live could be the start of a new internet culture where time, not data, drives connectivity,” she stated.
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