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Safaricom customers are consuming more mobile internet, with average data usage per subscriber rising by 9.4 per cent as the telecommunications company records a 10.8 per cent decline in its average rate per megabyte.

At the same time, the average rate per megabyte declined by 10.8 per cent to 5.03 cents, pointing to a reduction in the average rate charged for mobile data during the reporting period.

The figures highlight the changing patterns of internet consumption as more customers use digital platforms for video streaming, gaming, sports content and other online activities.

Safaricom recorded an 11.6 per cent increase in one-month active chargeable mobile data customers, reaching 27.86 million during the period under review.

The number of customers consuming more than 1GB of data per month also increased by 17.7 per cent to 15.21 million, suggesting that a growing proportion of subscribers are moving towards higher levels of internet consumption.

The company attributed the increase in usage to expanding digital activities and stronger engagement with online content.

“Usage momentum remained strong, with average data consumption per chargeable subscriber increasing 9.4% YoY to 5.31 GB. Growth was driven by expanding digital use cases and stronger content engagement, including increased consumption of video, gaming and sports content, alongside growth in giga users.

“Portfolio enhancements under the Patamore proposition further supported usage by delivering greater value and affordability to customers, contributing to increased internet penetration and engagement. As a result, the rate per MB declined 10.8% YoY to 5.03 cents,” Safaricom said in its results booklet.

The statement links the growth in data consumption to increased demand for digital content and the company’s efforts to make its data offerings more affordable.

Mobile data revenue increased by 12.2 per cent year-on-year to Ksh45.24 billion, supported by growth in the number of active customers and increased usage.

The performance makes mobile data an important contributor to the company’s connectivity business, which recorded revenue growth of 7.7 per cent to Ksh103.38 billion.

Mobile data accounted for 43.8 per cent of connectivity revenue, compared with 40.8 per cent for voice services, reflecting the growing contribution of internet services to the company’s network business.

Safaricom also linked the performance to increased penetration of 4G+ devices, alongside initiatives targeting affordability and customer usage.

The results point to two developments in Safaricom’s mobile data business: customers are consuming more internet, while the company’s average rate per megabyte is declining.

The increase in customers using more than 1GB monthly also indicates that data consumption is not limited to occasional browsing, with more subscribers using larger volumes of internet.

However, the 10.8 per cent decline in the average rate per megabyte should not automatically be interpreted as an equivalent reduction in the advertised prices of all data bundles. It is the company’s reported average rate per unit of data.

The half-year results therefore provide an indication of how mobile internet usage and revenue are changing as digital content and online services become a larger part of customers’ daily activities.