Looking for the latest internet trends? Look at the numbers because they never lie. According to the CCK Internet Statistics Report for Q2 2013/14, mobile subscriptions in Kenya increased by 2.1% from the previous quarter.
The Internet Statistics indicate over 30 million mobile subscriptions in Kenya, with an estimated population of 41 million. Although not every adult Kenyan owns a mobile phone, a significant percentage of adults do. Considering that over half of the population is under 18, it suggests many individuals own multiple phones.
Data and internet use experienced a 10% increase, primarily driven by using mobile phones to access the internet. Internet use via mobile phones is growing rapidly at approximately 30% per year as more Kenyans embrace mobile internet.
An interesting SMS statistic reveals that 95% of all SMS in the country are sent within a single network. This suggests a slight difference in SMS usage compared to phone use, making it more practical to send SMS within the same network since many people own multiple phones.
Implications for businesses:
- Mobile phone usage for internet access is on the rise. To effectively reach new customers, businesses should adapt online marketing campaigns for mobile platforms.
- SMS usage is widespread and can reach a larger working-class population compared to other communication methods. Enabling SMS capabilities on websites and business applications taps into this growing trend.
- Softlink Options, a specialized web application development company, has witnessed an increase in clients requesting web-enabled applications. This reflects the higher internet accessibility among a significant portion of the population. Businesses can upgrade their websites to reach a wider audience and leverage the expanding internet usage.