Safaricom has just made a bold and exciting move: you can now walk into any of QuickMart’s 61 supermarkets across Kenya and walk out with a brand-new 5G or 4G Wi-Fi router for just KES 2,999. Yes, same price. No tricks. Doesn’t matter if you pick the blazing-fast 5G model or the good ol’ reliable 4G one — it’s KES 2,999 either way.

And we’re genuinely impressed. This is the kind of accessibility and pricing we love to see. Not only is Safaricom expanding its retail reach (shoutout to QuickMart), but it’s also simplifying router setup with self-service activation via a QR code. Scan, register, buy a bundle, and you’re online. Easy.

But here’s the part where things go from sweet to sour — and this one’s a dealbreaker for me.

Safaricom 5G router limits you to just four connected devices on the base plan

Let me say that again: You get a futuristic 5G router… and you can only connect up to four devices if you subscribe to the KES 4,000, 50Mbps unlimited plan.

Yes, really.

Now, let’s do a quick reality check. In my house alone, we’re already way over that limit:

My two phones
My wife’s phone
Chromecast with Google TV
Three Google Nest speakers
An EcoFlow River 2 backup battery
My laptop

And we haven’t even gotten to the occasional visitor who asks for Wi-Fi. So… what now?

According to Safaricom’s Fair Usage Policy, the 50Mbps package is capped at 1.5TB per month and supports up to 4 users. To bump that number up, you’ll need to upgrade to the 100Mbps plan (KES 5,000, capped at 2TB, 8 users) or go all-in on the 250Mbps plan (KES 10,000, capped at 4TB, 10 users). That’s a hefty jump just to add a few more devices.

Meanwhile, the cheaper 4G router? It lets you connect up to 32 devices.

Yes. You read that right. Thirty-two. That’s literally 8x more than the base 5G plan. And it’s not locked behind any fancy speed tier either. Just buy the 4G router, pick a bundle that suits you (e.g. 140GB for KES 2,999 or 250GB for KES 6,299), and start streaming, browsing, updating apps, running your smart home… all at once.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m all in on the idea of future-proofing. The 5G router automatically falls back to 4G in areas without 5G coverage, so you’re covered either way. That’s amazing. Plus, with 5G now available in all 47 counties, the case for switching is getting stronger by the day.

But a router that only lets you connect four devices unless you pay more? That feels like a step backwards — especially when the competition (in this case, Safaricom’s own 4G router) doesn’t impose such artificial limits. Interestingly, Airtel’s 5G router lets you connect up to 32 devices at the same time.

Safaricom, we need to talk

The 5G rollout is fantastic. The router pricing? Chef’s kiss. The QuickMart partnership? Super convenient. Heck, it even stands out when compared to Safaricom Home Fibre in terms of price, speed and even FUP.

But this 4-device limit on the base plan is honestly baffling. There’s nothing to write home about the 8 and 10-device limits on the other plans either. If anything, 5G should be more capable of handling multiple devices, not less. You’re marketing to home users — families, small offices, digital nomads, smart home geeks. And we all have more than four things that need Wi-Fi.

Here’s what I’m suggesting:

Double the base package user limit to at least 8 devices. That makes it more practical without eating into your upgrade strategy.
Bump the 100Mbps plan to 10-16 devices, and let the 250Mbps tier handle anywhere between 16 and 32. That way, customers can clearly match their household size or usage needs to a sensible plan without feeling cornered.

Until then, I’d still recommend the 5G router — but with a loud and clear warning: If you don’t plan on paying extra for higher packages, you’ll be stuck with just four connected devices. Think about that before you get too excited at the 50Mbps speed.

So, before you drop that router into your QuickMart basket, pause for a second. Count your devices. And if you’ve got more than four? Either prepare to pay more — or consider sticking with the 4G router, which still does the job and won’t nag you about user limits. My only gripe is the lack of monthly unlimited plans on the 4G router.

While 5G might be the future, right now, Safaricom’s 4G router is the more practical pick for homes packed with devices.