@Jamani - Safcon will remain #1 [IMHO] for the next few years regardless of Airtel's efforts. Nevertheless, it will lose its extreme dominance if Airtel [& YU] can keep up the pressure.
BTW, no jobs were outsourced to India. That is a lie peddled by SafCon & its fan club aka shareholders! I read the reports. The outsourcing firm is Mara of Uganda [we are all EAC members. Uganda is a very important export market for Kenya. We should give a little too.]
Safaricom's best paid employee(s) are FOREIGN. Bob is NOT Kenyan! [Well, neither is Meza but sorta hypocritical when Bob cries about losing much lower-paying Kenyan jobs]
As for Yu. That is THEIR business strategy [2G vs 3G]. They do not want [or have the muscle] to compete against SAFCON... unlike Airtel! Thanks to Airtel we will see a huge drop in 3G costs in 2Q 2011 after they launch 3G!
I will be happy to vuka IF Airtel gives me CHEAPER & BETTER deal on 3G...
Where is the 'loss' for Kenyans? [Except safcon shareholders]
1) Lower calling rates = lower repatriation of profits to UK by vodaphone
2) Losses by Airtel means net inflow of FDI to support the local business
3) Airtel 3G means NET investment IN Kenya. New towers, base stations, leases for towers, new HQ, more Kenyan jobs!
4) Lower calling rates = increased spending power to Kenyans to buy ugali or invest in safcon!
5) Airtel Money (Zap) is cheaper than M-Pesa [I know coz I use it]. I can pay KPLC for FREE whereas M-Pesa charges me!
Greedy when others are fearful. Very fearful when others are greedy - to paraphrase Warren Buffett