For many Kenyans, network issues are more than an inconvenience. They’re a recurring frustration. New consumer complaints data from the Communications Authority (CA) shows that telecommunications remains the most complained-about sector, even as other digital services perform far better.
Telecom services remain the biggest pain point
Nearly a third of all consumer complaints recorded in the last quarter were linked to telecom services. Even more telling, over 40% of those cases were still unresolved by the end of the reporting period.
Voice services — basic calling — accounted for the bulk of these complaints. That’s significant because voice remains the most essential telecom function, especially outside major cities where data services can be inconsistent.
For consumers dealing with dropped calls, call termination issues, or unresolved billing disputes, you’re statistically more likely to wait longer for a fix than users in other digital sectors.
Mobile money tells a very different story
In contrast, mobile money and digital financial services recorded fewer complaints and resolved all of them within the quarter.
That 100% resolution rate suggests:
- Clearer internal dispute-handling processes
- Faster escalation timelines
- Strong financial incentives for providers to fix issues quickly
For consumers, this means mobile money platforms have become far more predictable and reliable when things go wrong, even if problems still occur occasionally. Given Safaricom’s dominance in this category, perhaps huge credit should go to the telco for providing quick resolutions to mobile money issues.
The gap between telecom and mobile money complaint outcomes highlights an important shift:
- Consumers increasingly trust mobile money platforms to respond
- Telecom providers continue to struggle with basic service accountability
As a result, telecom dissatisfaction remains high, not necessarily because issues are new, but because they take too long to resolve.
For a deeper look at how consumer complaints extend beyond connectivity into fraud, customer care, and privacy, see our explainer on where consumers are most exposed when things go wrong.
