Safaricom is experiencing an unprecedented surge in mobile data traffic.
The telco reported that a staggering 55 percent of its data usage is now dedicated to streaming on TikTok and YouTube, highlighting a dramatic shift in consumer behavior.
The pressure on Safaricom’s network was palpably felt on July 14, during the European football competition finals between Spain and England.
On that night, the company recorded a monumental 3.964 petabytes of data traffic—the highest since its inception 24 years ago.
For context, one petabyte equates to one quadrillion bytes, or one million gigabytes, signifying an overwhelming demand that translates to nearly 100,000 smartphones with 128GB of storage each.
Alex Gathogo, Senior Manager of Service Assurance at Safaricom, expressed his team’s astonishment at the rapid spike in data traffic from consumers, particularly among the tech-savvy 18 to 19 age group.
“Our current traffic levels have already reached the projections we had set for December,” Gathogo said. “This unexpected surge presents both exciting opportunities and substantial challenges.”
The rise in user-generated content on social media platforms like TikTok has forced Safaricom’s Technology Network team, led by Chief Technology and Information Officer George Njuguna, to reassess their planning and capacity. Njuguna noted,
“It’s remarkable how the landscape has shifted, with TikTok driving more traffic than YouTube. This change highlights the evolving preferences of our new consumer base.”
The rapid increase in streaming demand has prompted Safaricom to collaborate with TikTok to establish a local Content Delivery Network (CDN). This strategic move aims to enhance user experiences by ensuring smoother accessibility to the app amid escalating usage and data consumption.
As consumers increasingly demand higher quality video content, Safaricom is prioritizing infrastructural upgrades to meet this new trend. “More and more, we’re seeing Kenyans selecting higher-quality videos,” said Njuguna, indicating that the trend towards premium video quality is becoming a norm.
Preparedness is key for Safaricom as it anticipates higher traffic volumes moving forward. Gathogo elaborated on the proactive measures the company undertakes: “We project potential traffic for the next three, four, or five months and prepare for this by upgrading our capacity.”
This includes enhancing their network’s core components and ensuring that international throughput can manage the growing data demands. This year, Safaricom increased its international data carrying capacity from approximately 500 gigabytes to 700 gigabytes, significantly improving its ability to handle peak traffic.
Safaricom is also leveraging historical data analysis, factoring in a consistent 20 percent increase in data traffic over recent years to inform projections and planning. Coupled with a morphing customer base driven by trending social media platforms like TikTok, the telco is making strategic decisions to bolster its infrastructure.
As consumer habits shift swiftly towards content creation and consumption on mobile platforms, Safaricom stands at the forefront of adapting its services to match the evolving digital landscape in Kenya. This proactive approach not only aims at maintaining a positive customer experience but also maximizes revenue potential in an increasingly competitive telecommunications environment.
