The Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) has announced the availability of the 01xx prefixes for use in Kenya. This comes about two weeks after Techweez reported Airtel will be getting 0100, 0101, and 0102 Prefixes which then was pending CA’s Approval.

In Kenya we are used to the 07xx prefixes for all service providers. We know that:

Safaricom uses: 072x, 071x, 079x, 0757 to 0759,
Airtel uses: 073x, 0750 to 0756, 0785 to 0789
Telkom uses: 0770 to 0776,
Faiba uses: 0747 (maybe more by now) and
Equitel uses: 0763, 0764, and 0765

There’s been an increased demand for SIM cards in Kenya from both consumers and businesses. There’s many use-cases for SIM cards, and this demand will only be growing in the future if the current tech scene stays as vibrant, or gets better. Also, Kenya has a young population who are yet to buy a phone.

The authority in the release announced Safaricom and Airtel have been provided with 2 Million and 3 Million numbers respectively under this new prefix that in totality has a total capacity of 100 Million numbers.

In the announcement, CA says the new prefixes will be in use immediately. And it is urging the public to understand that these are local Kenyan numbers, and people shouldn’t shun from picking calls thinking they’re from foreign countries.

The problem though is that it is hard to now properly know which numbers belong to which providers like we did before. But this shouldn’t worry you because many smartphones will show you both number, network and country the incoming phone call is from.

From the Techweez report above, we know what prefixes Airtel will be taking. It is still not clear which ones Safaricom will be getting.

Breaking: CA releases press statement on Introduction of a new Mobile Numbering Prefix in Kenya @dailynation @mucheru @citizentvkenya @RadioCitizenFM @TheStarKenya @StandardKenya @KBCChannel1 @CIOEastAfrica pic.twitter.com/prcbpwW9eO

— Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) (@CA_Kenya) April 30, 2019