• Latest
  • All
  • How To
safaricom mpesa upgrade

Can Safaricom Fix its Erratic and Sluggish STK Menu?

August 24, 2018
Infinix Note 50 Pro x Java House Collab

Infinix Teams Up with Java House to Launch Note 50 Pro Series

July 4, 2025
Instagram threads

Instagram Threads Rolls Out Direct Messaging in Major Feature Update

July 4, 2025
Infinix Hot 60i Pre-order

Infinix Hot 60i Now Available for Pre-Order in Kenya

July 4, 2025
Windows

Microsoft’s Windows Usage Slumps as Macs, Linux, and Mobile Take Over

July 4, 2025
DHgate Tablet Cases deals
Microsoft

Microsoft Slashes 9,100 Jobs in Biggest Layoffs Since 2023

July 4, 2025
NASA

NASA Brings Space Missions to Netflix at No Extra Cost

July 3, 2025
ios 26-facetime

iOS 26 May Pause Video if You Start Undressing on FaceTime

July 3, 2025
apple iphone foldable

Apple Begins Testing Its First Foldable iPhone

July 3, 2025
Mobile Data

Kenya Draws More Tourists as Mobile Data Roaming Soars

July 3, 2025
Axian Telecom Considers Full Acquisition of Jumia

Axian Telecom Is Plotting a Full Buyout of Jumia

July 3, 2025
Cable TV

Kenya’s Cable TV Market Rebounds with 31.5% Growth

July 3, 2025
Premier League and Microsoft Announce Strategic AI Partnership for Enhanced Fan Engagement

Football Meets AI as Microsoft Joins Forces with the EPL

July 3, 2025
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
No Result
View All Result
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
No Result
View All Result

Can Safaricom Fix its Erratic and Sluggish STK Menu?

Kenn Abuya by Kenn Abuya
August 24, 2018
in Op-ed
Reading Time: 2 mins read
271
5
safaricom mpesa upgrade

safaricom mpesa upgradeA fair share of Kenyans use mobile money services. Particularly, Safaricom’s M-PESA users are in the excess of 21 million per CA’s statistics – which means millions of us have interacted with the conventional way the service is rendered, and that is via the sim toolkit (STK).

STK has been around for as long as I started using phones. It is a standard app that can be loaded on smart or dumb phones and has since allowed mobile operators to integrate extra information and functions on SIM cards. The STK’s user interface can be customized in a way a carrier deems fit so that users can have direct access to essential services provided by the telco, entertainment services or banks.

My experience with Safaricom’s STK has been good and functional, but it hit me a couple of days ago that its implementation is far from perfect. The discovery was noted after I tried Equitel’s STK for a couple of days and this is what I found out:

  • Safaricom’s STK is markedly slow. Don’t get me wrong: it works, yes, but the execution of tasks such as the opening of menus takes a couple of seconds. Contrastingly, Equitel’s is noticeably faster. I don’t know how I can explain this but you need to use the two services side by side to notice Safaricom’s sluggishness.
  • Perhaps the most issue is the flow of actions. I’m sure most of you have, say, tried to enter a pay bill number for a given service but incorrectly dialled a number of two. Alternatively, say you enter a wrong PIN number when performing a transaction. If you go back one step to rectify the error, Safaricom’s STK will take right back to the home page before prompting you to start the exercise again. It is frustratingly annoying. In contrast, Equitel’s STK works as directed, and will take you a step or two backward if you so wish.
  • The STK app is tiny and does not take any toll on a phone’s resources. Heck, it runs just fine on feature phones. Hence, the argument that Safaricom’s is bloated (admittedly, its implementation is full of other features in the Safaricom+ menu) does not it a pass to be slow because Equitel’s is equally feature-packed.

Of course, there are other statistical parameters that may impact these observations. For instance, Safaricom’s STK is accessed millions of times at any single time owing to the numbers it commands both in mobile money services and carrier business. In other words, it processes millions of commands, hence, the sluggishness – but does that mean a simple task like rolling back to the previous step shouldn’t do just that?

I’m yet to test Telkom Kenya’s, which I should as soon as it brings T-Kash to STK rather than the *160# access code.

What are your experiences? Do you think there is a way Safaricom can make their STK noticeably faster and efficient? Probably yes, but the current implementation is frustrating. Of course, its mySafaricom app is a better alternative (it continues to balloon sizewise though, perhaps due to the iterative updates that continue to see the integration of additional features), but it is still not as what the competition offers (My Telkom app), which is also a story for another day.

Tags: Safaricom
SendShare150Tweet94
Kenn Abuya

Kenn Abuya

Kenn Abuya is a friend of technology, with bias in enterprise and mobile tech. Share your thoughts, tips and hate mail at [email protected]

Related Posts

Mobile Data

Kenya Draws More Tourists as Mobile Data Roaming Soars

July 3, 2025
Safaricom Ethiopia Celebrates Big Win with 10 Million Customers

Safaricom Ethiopia Celebrates Big Win with 10 Million Customers

July 1, 2025
Which ISP is best in Kenya

Kenya’s Best ISP: Faiba Claims the Crown for Fastest Internet

June 30, 2025
the process of setting up an Internet service provider (ISP) in Kenya

Airtel Rises While Safaricom Drops in Network Quality Scores

June 30, 2025
Unified Payment Interface

CBK’s New Fast Payment System Plan Could Rival M-Pesa

June 24, 2025
Kenya Safaricom share sale

Kenya Plans Mega Sale of Safaricom Shares to Raise Over a Billion Dollars

May 26, 2025

Latest

Infinix Note 50 Pro x Java House Collab

Infinix Teams Up with Java House to Launch Note 50 Pro Series

July 4, 2025
Instagram threads

Instagram Threads Rolls Out Direct Messaging in Major Feature Update

July 4, 2025
Infinix Hot 60i Pre-order

Infinix Hot 60i Now Available for Pre-Order in Kenya

July 4, 2025
Windows

Microsoft’s Windows Usage Slumps as Macs, Linux, and Mobile Take Over

July 4, 2025
Microsoft

Microsoft Slashes 9,100 Jobs in Biggest Layoffs Since 2023

July 4, 2025
NASA

NASA Brings Space Missions to Netflix at No Extra Cost

July 3, 2025

Best devices

budget smartwatches 2025

Best Budget Smartwatches To Buy in Kenya 2025

February 13, 2025

Best Infinix Smartphones To Buy in Kenya 2024

February 13, 2025

Best Laptops for Battery Life in 2024

August 21, 2024

Best “Battery Warrior” Smartphones To Buy in 2024

August 22, 2024

Infinix Teams Up with Java House to Launch Note 50 Pro Series

July 4, 2025

Instagram Threads Rolls Out Direct Messaging in Major Feature Update

July 4, 2025

Techweez is a fast growing influential source of technology news, reviews and analysis by leading tech geeks in the industry.

Follow Us

Editorials

Abductions and Arrests! Kenyan Government’s Fear and Hate of X Users Makes No Sense

Actors and Film Crews Are Worried About Veo 3 Taking Their Jobs

Samsung QLED TVs Now Officially Certified for Real Quantum Dot Technology

Trump’s Tariffs Will Be the End of Affordable Tech

5 Ways to Prep Your Tech for Resale

The Weaponization of PDFs: How Cybercriminals Are Exploiting a Trusted Format

More News

iOS 26 May Pause Video if You Start Undressing on FaceTime

Apple Begins Testing Its First Foldable iPhone

Kenya Draws More Tourists as Mobile Data Roaming Soars

Axian Telecom Is Plotting a Full Buyout of Jumia

Kenya’s Cable TV Market Rebounds with 31.5% Growth

Football Meets AI as Microsoft Joins Forces with the EPL

  • Terms Of Use
  • Techweez Brand
  • Privacy & Policy
  • Contact Us

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!

Hey there! Just a heads-up: we're big fans of cookies - both the digital and edible kind! 🍪 We use our cookies and some from third parties to ensure your browsing experience on our site is smooth sailing and secure.

 

But wait, there's more! We also use cookies to gather stats and insights on how you navigate our site. It's like getting a behind-the-scenes peek at your digital adventures!

 

Don't worry, you're in control. You can adjust your cookie settings anytime to suit your preferences. Feeling curious? Dive into our Privacy Policy for all the juicy details. Happy browsing! 🚀

Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
Techweez | Tech News, Reviews, Deals, Tips and How To
Crunchy Cookies 🍪 Ahead!
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
Listen, this legal stuff is about as exciting as watching paint dry. But it basically says we only use your stuff for what you asked us to do, and nobody else gets to peek!
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
It's those sneaky cookie crumbs websites leave behind to count visitors, like counting ants at a picnic! Totally harmless, just for fun facts. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Hey there! Just letting you know we use some fancy gizmos to remember your preferences. This way, we can show you ads that are, well, not completely bananas.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
Make cookies
{title} {title} {title}
No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • Editorial
  • Automotive
  • Entertainment

© 2024 Techweez - Palahala Media Group may earn a commission when you buy through links on our sites.
A Palahala Media Group Brand. All rights reserved.
.