Kenya’s leading integrated communications services provider Safaricom has launched various campaigns aimed at ensuring subscribers with the so called counterfeit phones purchase original devices at affordable prices.
Device manufacturers including Samsung have already rolled out campaigns that aim to boost device sales during and after the CCK counterfeit handsets switch-off deadline.
Almost a month ago, Safaricom launched the “Jisort Na Smartphone” campaign with a focus on increasing revenues via data use. This initiative also helped to give an affordable alternative to subscribers with counterfeit devices to own devices that are data enabled.
Last week the company launched an end month bargain with most flagship devices put on discounted prices. Devices from the major manufactures like Samsung, Nokia and BlackBerry can now be purchased at discounted rates from all Safaricom retail outlets.
When asked about any measures the company is undertaking to cushion the over 600K subscibers with counterfeit phones, Safaricom’s Director of Corporate Affairs, Nzioka Waita talked of campaigns that were started 2 months ago to sell affordable devices to the affected subscribers.
“We have been running an affordable device campaign for the last 2 months and we have targeted specifically those with counterfeit devices through SMS.” Read more of the email interview with Nzioka by our own Martin Gicheru here.
Other initiatives to provide devices to High Value Customers who will be affected by the switch-off are in place. A device clearance sale is also in the pipeline.
It is estimated that the government loses over 2 billion shilling in form of taxes via the influx of counterfeit phones into the country. This also impacts on the general economy.
Counterfeit phones are also said to have a negative impact on operator networks and revenues, customer experience and satisfaction and security.
CCK is expected to make good its promise to switch off counterfeit mobile phones after giving a final switch-off date of September 30th. Director General Mr. Francis W. Wangusi noted that close to 10 million queries have been made to the system, representing slightly more than a third of the roughly 29 million mobile subscribers in the country.
