Safaricom bets on low income users with solar phone

As power disruptions in the country intensify, Safaricom has joined forces with ZTE to launch a solar-charged mobile phone in the Kenyan market.

Zhong Xing Telecommunication Equipment Company Limited-ZTE-is a global provider of telecommunications equipment and network solutions.

The solar-charged phone- Simu ya Solar- is made from recycled material, will retail at Sh2,999 and will be locked into the Safaricom network.

According to Safaricom’s managing director Mr Michael Joseph, the solar-charged phone is environmentally friendly.

Apart from providing an alternative phone charging mechanism, the solar chargers will also create cost savings for those who have had to pay for the charging services.

It costs about Sh50 in rural areas and Sh20 in urban areas to charge a mobile phone.

It will also relieve those in rural areas who have regularly had to travel long distances to find a connection to the national power grid.
“Our subscribers will now not have to take their phones to merchants for charging,” said Joseph.

Simu ya Solar has a built in solar panel which charges the phone using the sun’s rays. The phone can maintain charge for seven days with normal usage.

With the solar-charged phone, Safaricom hopes to dominate the low-end of the market which has minimal access to the electricity and can hardly afford power bills.

The launch of the solar-phone comes at a time when the country has been hit by an accute power shortage that has resulted in the Kenya Power and Lighting Company (KPLC) instituting a power rationing programme country-wide as a result of reduced water levels in most dams.

The problem has arisen due to reduced water levels in Kenyan dams due to failed rains. Kenya’s main source of energy is hydro-electric power.

Exploring options
Power rationing is shifting consumers’ attention to alternative sources of power supply. For domestic use, the options available are solar panels and generators. Simu ya Solar comes at an opportune time as consumers are increasingly seeking long term alternative power solutions.

This new move by Safaricom comes as companies seek ways to go green with their products as a means of conserving the environment.

Samsung Electronics has also developed and brought to market a solar-charged phone.

Another innovative way of dealing with challenges associated with lack of access to power across the country is the use of a dynamo-powered smart charger, developed by two engineering students at the University of Nairobi early this year. The charger uses the bicycle dynamo to charge the phones.

However, the dynamo is sold at Sh350, which could still be prohibitive for some segments of the population. In addition, one has to have access to a bicycle.

To address the issue of power outages, Safaricom has set up 36 radio base stations that are operating on renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.