Kenya’s Internet Performance Report 2023–2024: Faiba & Safaricom Lead For Fixed & Mobile Internet Services Respectively.
In an extensive study conducted between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024, Kenya’s Internet services have shown significant advancements and notable performances across both fixed and mobile networks. The data, collected via nPerf’s Internet speed test — a tool available on Android and iOS — provides a comprehensive look into the user experiences and service quality of different providers in the country.
Fixed Internet Highlights
Faiba emerged as the top performer in the fixed Internet category, offering the most efficient service as perceived by users. A total of 61,436 speed tests were included in this analysis, emphasizing Faiba’s leading position.
Fastest Fixed Download Speeds: Telkom took the spotlight with impressive speeds reaching up to 33 Mb/s, classified as excellent and suitable for high-demand activities such as 4K video streaming.
Lowest Latency Champions: Zuku and Mawingu led with the lowest latencies at 39 ms and 41 ms respectively, ensuring swift response times critical for real-time applications and gaming.
Superior Streaming Quality: In terms of streaming, Safaricom provided the best video experience, scoring 74.5% in tests involving various resolutions from SD to Full HD. This suggests a nearly seamless viewing experience, crucial for today’s content-heavy internet usage.
Web Browsing Efficiency: Faiba again stands out in the browsing test with a 38% efficiency rating, equating to an average page load time of 6.2 seconds. Close competitors, Safaricom and Zuku, followed with 37% each, demonstrating robust performance across popular websites.
Mobile Internet Insights
Safaricom also dominated the mobile Internet landscape, delivering outstanding performances across all metrics in the 12,595 tests conducted.
Leading Mobile Speeds: With speeds peaking at 22 Mb/s, Safaricom not only leads in Kenya but also compares favorably on an international scale, surpassing averages in Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, Cameroon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Consistent Streaming Quality: The streaming quality score of 77% from Safaricom highlights a high-quality user experience, which is closely matched by Airtel’s commendable 76% score.
Looking Forward
The detailed insights from nPerf’s barometer reflect real user experiences and underscore the dynamic nature of Kenya’s Internet service landscape. While Faiba and Safaricom have set high benchmarks in fixed and mobile categories respectively, other providers like Telkom, Zuku, and Airtel also showcase strong and competitive offerings.
This extensive data, derived from end-user tests, emphasizes the importance of user-centric evaluations in shaping the future of Internet services in Kenya, ensuring providers continue to strive for better connectivity and service quality.
For technology enthusiasts and everyday users alike, understanding these metrics can greatly influence decisions regarding which Internet services to subscribe to, promising not just connectivity but quality and reliability.
