Latest CCK Statistics released yesterday if unregistered lines were switched off on 30th August

1. Safaricom 13.2million registered users (81% of what it claims)
2. Zain Kenya 1.39 Million registered users (67% of what it claims)
3. Orange 250,000
4. Yu 445,000

Total 15.285 Million lines
Market Share by Registered Lines (Unregistered lines will be switched off) as at 25th August 2010

1. Safaricom = 83.6%
2. Zain = 9.09%
3. Yu = 2.9%
4. Orange = 1.6%

From the above, majority of Zain (as well as YU and Orange) subscribers are therefore literally Safaricom subscribers as most of the people they call are on Safaricom, meaning any call under 1min 15sec under old rates up to September 2nd (Hallo! Sema? Uko wapi? Okay nakuja, ningoje hapo nyuma ile mti sawa, and blah blah, blah?) Is Safaricom money (4.2/-), and any call under 45seconds at new rates (2.2/-).

I have previously operated three GSM sim cards, and one CDMA telkom, apart from buying “promotion” sims loaded with more airtime than their cost which I usually bought enough of made calls and discarded when units run out. I have operated Safaricom (For most calls, Safcom to Safcom), Zain to Zain, and Orange for my Safaricom modem, their internet is cheaper.

I did not register my Zain as it no longer has any value as I call Zain at the same rate as my Safaricom 3/-, and Safcom to Safcom is 2/- , I keep my Telkom Orange because it is a different type of phone and I get cheaper landline calls 2/-, through it.

Now these are telling numbers, and prob true reflection of Safcon dominance in this market.

You can see someone like Zain has really nothing to lose....drop rates to 3 bob or even 1 bob, it wont have much short-term impact on p&l for them, but may help boost that miserable 9% market share.

Its dangerous to have an enemy who has nothing to lose...

As Kenyans we have failed to see the big picture. If Zain loses, we all lose, since call charges will go back to Ksh. 8. Safaricom is only running a promotion to stop zain from increasing the numbers. How i wish people would continue acquiring more zain lines so that there is competition, hence lower calling rates.

There is no need of being a die-hard when in the end, you are the sufferer.

@Tito, Zain is suiciding, no one wants to see a viable business collapse, but when a CEO drives a company down a path to self destruction and people cheer! Hey! we are getting calls at -ve rates men! what can one do, no sympathies, for me, IT"S STRICTLY BUSINESS

By the way, when you talk of the bigger picture, sound business practice makes an economy thrive, reckless business practices destroy good business and are bad for the Economy, getting unrealistically cheap calls is NOT GOOD FOR YOU IN THE BIGGER PICTURE

Long Live Zain/Airtel... Coz safCON would have never dropped charges if not for Zain... So I support Zain...