Guide to Kenya

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Welcome to the insiders guide to Kenya

RELOCATING TO KENYA - COMMUNICATION

Contents Getting ready to work Finding a house Buying a car Shopping Entertainment Expense Communications Useful Links

In the modern day more and more people are relying on the internet and communications to stay in touch with the world and conduct their business. Communications in Kenya have really come on in the last few years. Mobile networks have grown and have been embraced by all, from the every day business man to the Maasai. Phone The easiest way to start communicating in Kenya is to get hold of a SIM card. This is very easy to do and will only set you back KSH100. There are three main networks Safaricom, Zain and, more recently, Orange. All appear to offer good signal and calls and texts are not expensive. The easiest way to get connected is to get a pay as you go SIM card. Post paid is possible and I know that people do this, but I'm afraid I don't know how. A trip to your nearest Safaricom, Zain or Orange shop will provide you with the information and there is many around. Topping your phone up is very easy. All you need to do is buy a scratch card which range from KSH50 to KSH1000. You can buy credit almost everywhere. Scratch off the silver panel and phone the number on the back of the card. Phones cost from KSH2000 - KSH50000. From extremely basic to a full smart phone. They are easy to get hold of but try your old mobile first. I just put a new SIM card in my current UK phone. The Internet The internet has really improved over the past few years particularly in the last year. In the last 6 months a fibre optic cable has come to Kenya from Asia (I think). This has brought high speed broadband to businesses and some homes across Kenya. There are a number of different companies which offer this but it appears not to be 100% reliable yet. The company which provides my work with broadband does have problems with vandalism or breakages to their line. Mobile Broadband Mobile broadband is the way that most people get online. You can buy a modem for, at the moment, KSH2000 (from all of the above networks) and buy top up vouchers which you can then purchase data bundles with. Orange and Zain are the cheapest but people say Safaricom is the fastest. Example of internet rates Orange - For KSH450 you can get 200MB or 500MB for KSH850 Safaricom - For KSH1000 you can get 300MB Zain - I'll find out soon Post paid packages are available. Speed When the fibre is working, which is most of the time, the speeds are very fast. Certainly as most connections in the UK. Mobile broadband is very good as well. Most connect at 3.3mps and some at 7mps ( It think they are post paid only).