Starlink’s Impact? Safaricom Now Sells 5G Routers at Quickmart Nationwide

Safaricom has officially launched a nationwide retail partnership with Quickmart, placing its 4G and 5G home routers on shelves across all 61 Quickmart outlets in Kenya. Priced at just KES 2,999, this move significantly lowers the entry barrier for households looking to access fast, reliable home internet — and it comes at a time when the value proposition of 5G WiFi is clearer than ever.

As we previously explored in our article “Safaricom 5G WiFi Now Beats Home Fibre on Speed, Price, and Fair Usage — Should You Switch?”, Safaricom’s 5G WiFi has emerged as a compelling alternative to traditional fibre. It offers faster speeds, more generous fair usage policies, and often better value for money — especially in areas where fibre is unavailable or unreliable.

Convenience, Simplicity, and Affordability

Thanks to this new collaboration, customers can now pick up a router during their regular grocery shopping trips. To simplify things further, Safaricom has introduced self-service activation. After purchase, users only need to scan a QR code to register the SIM, purchase a data plan, and activate the device — skipping any technical setup hassles.

This ease of access, both in terms of cost and availability, reflects Safaricom’s broader strategy of making home connectivity solutions frictionless and widespread.

Router Plans and Data Bundles

Whether you go for the 4G or 5G router (both priced at KES 2,999), you get access to a range of internet plans depending on your speed and usage needs.

5G Home Plans

• 50 Mbps — KES 4,000
• 100 Mbps — KES 5,000
• 250 Mbps — KES 10,000
  (All valid for 30 days)

4G WiFi Plans

• 7.5GB — KES 499 (7 days)
• 25GB — KES 999
• 60GB — KES 1,999
• 140GB — KES 2,999
• 180GB — KES 4,100
• 250GB — KES 6,299
• 500GB — KES 12,499
  (All 30-day plans except the 7.5GB option)

With 4G coverage now reaching over 97% of Kenya’s population and 5G available in all 47 counties, these routers are designed to bridge the digital divide — especially in underserved or fibre-dark areas.

What’s the Bigger Picture?

This rollout comes amid increasing visibility of Starlink routers in local supermarkets, a trend that seems to be reshaping consumer expectations around access to high-speed internet. While Starlink brings satellite internet to remote regions, Safaricom is betting on its terrestrial network and affordability to remain competitive.

“We are continuously innovating to provide our customers with the best connectivity solutions. This partnership reinforces our promise of seamless connectivity and great value,” said Fawzia Ali, Safaricom’s Chief Consumer Business Officer.

Quickmart’s Chief Commercial Officer, J. Thuku, added,

“This collaboration ensures that essential digital services are now part of everyday shopping.”

Why This Matters

This isn’t just a retail partnership. It’s part of Safaricom’s larger effort to democratize internet access. Alongside this rollout, the telco has in the recent past:

• Upgraded Home Fibre speeds at no extra cost
• Running fibre service clinics countrywide
• Expanding its network to ensure better connectivity in both urban and rural Kenya

If you’ve been considering switching from Home Fibre to 5G WiFi, the entry barrier has just been lowered dramatically. And based on current performance metrics, 5G WiFi might not just be more convenient — it might actually be the better deal.