So when I got the invite for the B-Live launch, it sounded like Safaricom was doing a full shift from quantity-based usage to time-based usage. Well, during the launch, it turned out that they were just launching a time-based data bundle and not a full shift as I had initially thought. Also, when you look at B-Live closely, you realize that it is not full time-based usage since they still have the fair use cap on different offers. So it is sort of a mix of time-based as well as quantity-based usage. Below is how it is structured:
– For 1 hour at Ksh.20, capped at 2GB
– 1.5 hours at Ksh.30, capped at 3GB
– 2 hours at Ksh.50, capped at 4GB
– 3 hours at Ksh.60, capped at 5GB
– 4.5 hours at Ksh.75, capped at 6GB
– 6 hours at Ksh.150, capped at 7GB
The aim of the B-Live data bundle according to Fawzia Ali-Kimanthi, Chief Consumer Business Officer, Safaricom PLC is for a specific use case, for example, if you want to watch football for 90 minutes, then you can have a 2-hour option, which should allow you to stream the full game. The same with the likes of Formula One, or even a movie on Netflix or Showmax. If your specific need is much longer hours, then there is an option of buying 4.5 or 6 hours.
When you look at the existing bundles by Safaricom, I think people will find value in B-Live. The existing data deals that are closer to B-Live are structured as follows:
– Ksh.20 for 1GB in 1 hour
– Ksh.25 for 1.5GB for 1 hour
– Ksh.30 for 90 mins
– Ksh.50 for 1.5GB for 3 hours
– Ksh.99 for 1GB for 24 hours
– Ksh.120 for 1.5GB for 24 hours
– Ksh.150 for 5GB till midnight
For short-term and specific-need use, then B-Live should be the option to go to and especially in comparison to the different existing data deals that Safaricom has. Also looking at the launch event, the main target audience are content creators, the GenZ and the people in people in colleges and Universities. B-Live data bundle is available via *544# or *555#.
