Kenyans are warming up to automated exchange of information between smart devices without manual interventions, the latest report from Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) shows.

Latest quarterly statistics of the sector covering the period July to September 2021, says Machine to Machine (M2M) mobile subscriptions have increased by 8.7 per cent to stand at 988,184.

Communications Authority describes M2M as the number of mobile-cellular subscriptions that are assigned for use in machines and devices like cars, smart metres​ and consumer electronics for exchange of data between networked devices and are not part of a consumer subscription.

Reliable services

Cab hailing companies have led the way in embracing the technology, providing​ efficient and reliable services by allowing drivers and consumers to connect with their vehicles any time through text messaging.

Other sectors where M2M’s adoption is growing rapidly in Kenya is the​ “smart” home and office services like intelligent heating and connected security.

According to the report, Safaricom recorded the highest mobile (SIM) subscriptions with a market share of 64.6 per cent while Jamii Telecommunications and Equity Group’s Finserve Africa had the least market shares at 2.3 and 0.3 per cent respectively.

During the period, the overall active SIM card subscription rate for mobile data/internet services declined by 2.4 per cent to 44.88 million from 46 million, in contrast to mobile broadband which gained by 0.53 per cent to 26.9 million, a factor the authority attributed to “decommissioning of the USSD customer number acquisition channel and the absolute adoption of the App channel for SIM registration.”

The regulator said the increase in broadband subscription was aided by​ infrastructure improvements, underpinned by availability of cheap smartphones and digitisation of crucial government services which has led to increased access to and use of internet services in recent years.

The authority said that the Covid-19 pandemic has resulted in significant changes in consumer behaviour in conducting their daily activities and handling cash, with most Kenyans turning to mobile money transfers as a safer mode of transaction.

The period saw total value of deposits across all the mobile money transaction platforms valued at Sh1.9 trillion, with Safaricom leading the park with Sh1.2 trillion.

“Covid-19 pandemic has encouraged more consumers to adopt mobile money in purchasing essential goods and services. Consequently, there has been a general uptick in merchant payments and deposits and the period under review was no exception,” said CA.

Mobile money platforms

Despite the huge deposits across mobile money platforms, CA noted that the number of active mobile money subscription dropped by 0.2 per cent to 34.6 million, in what the regulator said was an increase in the number of mobile loan defaulters whose SIM cards remained inactive during the referenced period.