Safaricom’s Open Day is coming up and the company has lined up offers on a wide range of smartphones. There are discounts on everything from entry-level 3G smartphones like the Safaricom Neon to the iPhone 6 Plus.
Here are our favourite picks in the various ranges from basic/entry level through to the very high end:
1. Huawei Y330 and Safaricom Neon Smartphone
These two are not particularly stand-outs since corners have obviously been cut in order to justify the pricing but they are a good deal. Mostly due to the pricing during the Open Day and nothing else. Need a spare 3G phone? Want to buy someone a device to just access the internet and do basic social networking and nothing more (you know, Whatsapp and Facebook)? There’s no need to spend a lot. At just Ksh 4,000 for the Neon and Ksh 5,000 for the Y330, these just fit the bill perfectly.
2. Microsoft Lumia 535 and Samsung J1
While the Samsung J1 is very popular in the country and outsells every other smartphone at its price range, we believe the Lumia 535 which just got a new sibling is a better deal. Well, it doesn’t run Android or pack LTE like the J1 but it has a larger 5 inch IPS display and more internal storage (8 GB). It also has more RAM and since it runs on Windows Phone 8.1, you won’t get the lag you’ll find on most devices at this price on the Lumia 535. It is also getting a free update to Windows 10 Mobile as soon as it is available.
These two devices were recently part of the Jumia Mobile Week Megathon and the price difference during that week-long promotion and that of the Open Day is negligible. So here’s your chance to grab either of them (or even both) at a discount again.
The Lumia 535 will go for Ksh 11,000 while the Samsung J1 will sell at Ksh 12,000.
3. Safaricom Neon Smart Tab
This is a good proposition for parents. The government is working to bring tablets to primary school children instead of laptops. This could be a good starting point. At just Ksh 7,000, the Safaricom Neon tablet could be anything from what you use to consume news and entertainment content to reading eBooks and playing games. Being a tablet, it has a guaranteed battery life so you can keep on doing what you do for longer without having to worry about plugging in unlike its smaller sibling, the Neon smartphone.
4. Huawei G7 LTE
If you want a decent LTE device then any of the Microsoft Lumia devices on offer during the Open Day like the Lumia 735 or the more pricier Lumia 830 are good options. But what if you just want an Android device or something similar to your current device that won’t break the bank while at the same time doesn’t compromise on features and specifications? You can’t go wrong with the Huawei G7. It also happens to be a few thousand shillings cheaper than the Samsung Galaxy A5 which is its main competitor in that price range. It will go for Ksh 33,000.
5. Samsung Galaxy S5
While the Galaxy S6 is the current king of top of the range Samsung and to some extent Android smartphones, you can never go wrong with last year’s flagship. The S5 is a good deal for anyone looking for a top of the range smartphone at a reasonable price. It will be available at a discounted price of Ksh 50,000. This is a bargain when pitted against the Ksh 75,000 and Ksh 95,000 pricing of the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge respectively.
We’ve just listed our top picks, there are tens of other smartphones that Safaricom will be selling at discounted prices during the Open Day complete with various data and SMS bundles. The table below has all the details:
| Device | Price (Ksh) | Free Bundled Offer |
| Safaricom Neon smartphone | 3,999 | 20 MB + 20 SMS per day recurring for 30 days |
| Safaricom Neon tablet | 6,999 | 500 MB |
| Huawei Y330 | 4,999 | 100 MB |
| Huawei G7 LTE | 32,999 | 4 GB |
| Huawei MediaPad T1 8.0 LTE | 24,999 | 4 GB |
| Tecno 630 (3G) smartphone | 3,499 | 50 MB |
| Tecno B5S smartphone | 7,499 | 100 MB |
| Tecno S9 tablet | 9,999 | 500 MB + cover |
| Tecno M6S tablet | 11,499 | 100 MB |
| Microsoft Lumia 535 | 10,999 | 500 MB |
| Nokia Lumia 635 | 16,999 | 4 GB |
| Nokia Lumia 735 | 28,999 | 4 GB |
| Nokia Lumia 830 | 42,999 | 4 GB |
| Samsung J1 | 11,999 | 4 GB |
| Samsung Galaxy Grand Neo | 16,999 | 100 MB |
| Samsung Galaxy A3 | 28,999 | 4 GB |
| Samsung Galaxy A5 | 38,499 | 4 GB |
| Samsung Galaxy S5 | 49,999 | 500 MB |
| Samsung Galaxy Note 4 | 72,999 | 4 GB |
| Samsung Galaxy S6 | 74,999 | 4 GB |
| Samsung Galaxy S6 Edge (64 GB) | 94,999 | 4 GB |
| iPhone 6 (16 GB) | 82,999 | 1.5 GB recurring per month for 3 months |
| iPhone 6 (64 GB) | 92,999 | ‘’ |
| iPhone 6 (128 GB) | 110,999 | ‘’ |
| iPhone 6 Plus (16 GB) | 92,999 | “ |
| iPhone 6 Plus (64 GB) | 103,999 | ‘’ |
We are yet to ascertain if there will be accessories like powerbanks and headsets during the Open Day. They were there last year.
The Safaricom Open Day will run from the 25th through to the 28th of June throughout the country.
This is where you can pass by and see what Safaricom has to offer for whatever amount of money you have:
| Town/City | Venue | Dates |
| Nairobi | Sarit Expo Hall | 26th – 28th June |
| Tuskys Buruburu | 26th – 28th June | |
| Mombasa | Makadara Grounds | 25th – 27th June |
| Nakuru | Standard Chartered Arena | ” |
| Kisumu | United Mall | ” |
| Eldoret | Outside Nakumatt Eldomatt | ” |
| Kisii | Safaricom Shop Parking | ” |
| Kakamega | Tuskys Grounds | ” |
| Nyeri | Whispers Park | ” |
| Meru | Nakumatt Meru Grounds | ” |
| Kericho | Uhuru Gardens | ” |
| Thika | Tuskys Grounds | ” |
| Machakos | Old Naivas Ground | ” |
In addition to the smartphones being sold there will also be a lucky dip where customers stand to win assorted prizes for every purchase worth Ksh 1,000 and above made during the Open Day. As is always the case, the Open Day will also be an avenue for Safaricom to address various customer issues and promote its other services like Linda Jamii insurance and even do M-Shwari activations.
