Two weeks ago, we gave you an insider scoop that Safaricom was working on a new product dubbed “FLEX for hustlers”. We got wind that Safaricom was planning to launch the new service sometime this week. FLEX will allow customers to use their airtime to buy “FLEX units” which can then be used for data, voice and SMS with no fixed allocation to any of the three.
Flex bundles, which were already live at the time of publishing this article, is for segmenting Safaricom’s customers to ensure the telco is able to provide specific needs to their customers. According to Safaricom, FLEX is in line with the strategic pillar of “customer first”.
With FLEX bundles, Safaricom is targeting the demographic that use Airtel and Orange interchangeably, in search of value for their money, aka cheaper options.
To Purchase FLEX units, dial *100# or *200# (for PostPay) and select ‘FLEX’. You can then buy any of the bundles below:
115 FLEX units @ Ksh. 99 valid for 24 hours.
700 FLEX units @ Ksh. 599 valid for 7 days.
3,100 FLEX units @ Ksh. 2,499 valid for 30 days.
FLEX units will then be used for voice, data and SMS, as defined below:
1 FLEX unit – 20 Seconds talk time
1 FLEX unit – 3 MB of data
1 FLEX unit – 3 text messages
What this means is that if you have purchased the daily FLEX bundle, you will be deducted 3 FLEX units for each minute of talk-time. Three text messages sent, will see you get deducted 1 FLEX unit while 3MB of data will cost you 1 FLEX unit.
Assuming that you will use the 115 FLEX units on data, you will get 345MB, using the daily bundle on SMS will get you 345 texts and using the bundle just for calling will get you about 38 minutes of talk time.
The bundles are available to all customers (PrePay and PostPay) apart from special tariffs such as corporate tariffs (Zidisha Plus). Safaricom will also award customers who have an active FLEX bundle 3 FLEX units every time they send money through M-PESA, but only for transactions above Ksh. 100, and the awarded units will be valid for only 24 hours.
