You can now send SMS messages for as low as 5 cents in Kenya across networks in new SMS bundles announced by Airtel.
Airtel has today announced new dynamic SMS bundles that will see the cost as low as 5 cents per SMS for prepay users who purchase the SMS bundles. Starting today Airtel subscribers in Kenya are able to purchase SMS bundles with a range of daily, weekly to monthly bundles.
These can then be used across networks as they are split with provisions of on-net SMS and off-net SMS equally within the bundles. The smallest bundle is 6 SMS at Kshs 3 daily with the largest being a monthly bundle that in the larger scheme of things will see the customer charged 5 cents per SMS. It would be interesting to meet someone who sends that many SMSes a month though, what with services like WhatsApp and other social media platforms.
Users will be able to check their SMS balance, select between one-off and renewable bundle and even roll over unused bundles to the next day. This is done via accessing a USSD Menu by dialing *767#.
See below the breakdown of the SMS bundles.
| Bundle | No. of SMS | Offer | Price (KShs.) |
| Daily 6 | 6 | 3 off-net + 3 on-net | 3/- |
| Daily 40 | 40 | 20 off-net + 20 on-net | 5/- |
| Daily 250 | 250 | 125 off-net + 125 on-net | 10/- |
| Daily 500 | 500 | 250 off-net + 250 on-net | 20/- |
| Weekly 500 | 500 | 250 off-net + 250 on-net | 30/- |
| Monthly 1,500 | 1,500 | 750 off-net + 750 on-net | 75/- |
