Safaricom has had 3G for some time and Orange is marketing their “21mbps 3G link” like it is the greatest thing to have ever happened to Kenya since the arrival of the first Fibre Optic cable. I am yet to get any good result of Orange 3G anywhere in Nairobi but the CDMA based “orange 3G+” cruises at around 256+Kbps maximum.
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So I really want to know from you guys, which one do you think is the REAL deal? Orange 3G or Safaricom 3G? Both claims to offer more than 21Mbps with Safaricom 21Mbps pilot link running in selected areas withing Nairobi and the normal 3G network (can do up to 7.2 Mbps) available all over the country. Orange claims to have Kisumu, Mombasa and Nairobi well covered with the 21Mbps link. Practically, I have done a 14Mbps test on Safaricom 3G network around Westlands and witnessed Orange clock 7Mbps in Kisumu.
For me Orange could have been better if they had uncapped bundle. Safaricom can beat them in the offering (numbers Safaricom has) if it were to throttle the uncapped bundle to around 1Mbps (I know that we keep demanding more and more). Safaricom 3G shouldd now be available to all parts of Kenya. We should have Safaricom 4G live in many places as the excuse of spectrum is just lame according to me.
It is great that Orange has reduced the price of the 21Mbps capable dongle from Ksh 7,000 to Ksh 3,000 while Safaricom still maintain it at Ksh 9,000.
BTW! Today is the birthday of both Washington Akumu of Safaricom and Angela Mumo of Orange. I am just surprised at the coincidence. lets see who will get a good birthday gift in terms of user response. So leave a comment below and share the story.
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