Safaricom has attributed the rise in dropped calls to issues with Kenya Power and increased pressure on its network infrastructure. In its response to the Communications Authority (CA) regarding concerns from the Senate ICT Committee, Safaricom cited frequent power outages and voltage fluctuations as major factors disrupting communication, particularly in rural areas lacking reliable grid access.
A 2023 CA report shows network quality scores for Airtel at 58.33%, Safaricom at 66.67%, and Telkom Kenya at 50% across 11 of 47 counties. Safaricom argued that these disruptions have contributed to a spike in dropped calls.
Nyandarua Senator John Methu questioned CA officials about their measures to address the decline in service quality and whether they monitor mobile network quality using the established Quality of Service (QoS) framework.
The CA’s report also highlighted that increased smartphone adoption and data-heavy applications are putting additional strain on network infrastructure. In Nairobi, Safaricom noted that the rise in high-rise buildings is causing signal attenuation and added network pressure due to the concentration of users.
Additionally, the use of illegal static repeaters by building owners to boost signal quality has led to interference, exacerbating issues with call drops and data transmission. The CA emphasized the need for regulated solutions to manage coverage challenges posed by urban development.
To address these issues, telcos will be required to build new sites and upgrade their network infrastructure to improve coverage, capacity, and overall service quality.
