The main reason would be who needs another line ?

How many numbers do your friends have to keep track of on you ? We all know how hard it has been for any new entrant to get subscribers off their initial service providers(Saf & Kencell [Airtel]). Data services are always available even without activation of the voice service. You do not necessarily need a WiFi availability.

It provides a much smooth experience for simple yet effective service delivery without additional costs for a service which others have perfected. Remember voice brings about call quality issues which form a huge complaint from clients. Data only cards/devices have less issues.

Case in point. 3G modems are devices that came about as a result in the need for internet access without necessarily requiring a voice plan. ( very few complaints about the modem devices, most complaints are about data speeds & charges from the different providers ).

Calls to the CCC or help desks can be made using your regular lines as you effect commands/change settings on the separate device.

they will issue a flexible thin sim card that will be placed on top of your existing sim and will easily fit back into your phone, with this you enjoy normal network services from your provider and also get the MVNO

I think you got the numbers reversed. If Safaricom pays 40% agency commission it is left with 114 shillings, not 76.

Not too shabby IMHO, especially when you consider they have become a marketing monster.

Marketing is where I believe this potential war with Equity will be decided, not commissions. After all I expect the CCK to eventually enforce the multi agency service model, which will eliminate Safaricoms first mover advantage and reduce pressure on commissions.

Then again I have learned, to my cost, never to mis-understimate one, James Mwangi.

As someone else said, the customer will be the real beneficiary.

Let the games begin!

very possible, remember those chaps on luthuli ave who used to cut your safcom and zain sim then fix the two together in one phone, got that info from their call centre and also saw a photo of the thing on their twitter account

problem no.1 Brand.
You have already highlighted the first issue Equity has to deal with.

2ndly and related to problem 1 above is marketing & ad firm. They should pray Safaricom does not sign-up all the top notch firms.
The advertisement war here is going to be massive i presume.

As much as Mpesa bank has become such a mammoth, that will start trampling on competitors as well as customers. i do not see Equity upstaging them with this product per se.
May be their main goal is not Mpesa, but their usual competitor.

Simba should start worrying or being innovative.