Safaricom PLC has announced a strategic partnership with Naivas Supermarket in a move aimed at expanding access to 5G Home Internet devices across Kenya.
The collaboration, unveiled as part of Safaricom’s 25th anniversary celebrations, will see customers able to purchase 5G routers and related internet solutions at all Naivas outlets nationwide.
The joint venture is a landmark event in the carrier’s mission to use digital technology as a vehicle to inclusion and innovation by providing easy and cheap access to high-speed internet to both homes and companies.
“Partnering with Naivas Supermarket is one of the ways we can make our internet connectivity more available to customers. That is one of the major milestones on our journey as Safaricom to diversifying the access to high-speed internet not only through the normal but also the alternative channels,” Fawzia Ali, Chief Consumer Business Officer at Safaricom, affirmed.
Over the last 25 years, the company whose hallmark was to be a mobile operator with major innovations, Safaricom has transformed into a purpose-driven tech company. It is still committing resources to the “next gen” connectivity with a 5G For Home service that is introduced for the first time by the operator.
It is not only faster but also more reliable internet is what the customers will be getting to facilitate the current digital lifestyle that is characterized by remote working, and online learning, streaming, as well as smart home solutions.
On the other hand, Naivas has been celebrating its 35th anniversary this year as well. The collaboration with Safaricom is a perfect match with the retailer’s vision of providing utmost convenience to customers by delivering to them their fundamental needs, which are digital products and services, within their nationwide network.
Significantly, the new partnership comes after an agreement between Quickmart Supermarket and Safaricom, which aims to facilitate access to 4G and 5G Home Internet at all 61 Quickmart outlets.
Also, customers are allowed to purchase Safaricom routers which can support either 4G or 5G technology, and the price of the router is KES 2,999. The purchase can be done in Safaricom Shops or from Authorized dealers and also online via Masoko.co.ke.
In a related development, the company has recently extended its offer to Home Fibre customers by raising the speeds of the entry-level package from 10Mbps to 15Mbps without any additional charges.
Thus, new subscribers have the opportunity of signing up for the 15Mbps package at the rate of KES 2,999, which will greatly improve their overall internet experience for activities such as browsing, streaming, and remote working.
Despite the current 5G technology being rolled out, one of the goals that Safaricom is working towards is to keep Kenya ahead of the pack in the whole of Africa when it comes to the digital transformation.
This is done by enabling fast connectivity, thus, expanding the use of emerging technologies and, at the same time, enhancing the delivery of services in the different sectors for instance, ease of access to both Government and Enterprise services increased.
With the rollout of 5G technology, Safaricom has positioned Kenya as a regional leader in digital innovation, enabling faster internet speeds, supporting emerging technologies, and improving service delivery across multiple sectors including convenient access to government services from any location.