Report: Telkom Fails to Meet Service Quality Benchmark Again

Customers on Telkom Kenya are still facing network challenges after a fresh report by the Communications Authority of Kenya showed the operator falling well below the required service standards.

In its latest Quality of Service (QoS) report, the regulator found that Telkom scored 52.76 per cent, far below the minimum threshold of 80 per cent. This means the company is not meeting the basic expectations set for mobile service providers in the country.

According to the CA, “the overall performance for Telkom is 52.76 per cent, hence it did not meet the threshold of 80 per cent,” pointing to continued weaknesses in network reliability and overall user experience.

The results reflect what many users have been experiencing—frequent call drops, slow internet speeds and unstable connections, especially in areas where coverage is already limited.

Meanwhile, competitors continue to pull ahead. Safaricom recorded the highest score at 89.72 per cent, while Airtel Kenya came in at 81.14 per cent. Both operators managed to meet and surpass the minimum requirements.

The assessment is based on a framework introduced in 2017 that evaluates operators across three key areas: end-to-end testing through drive tests, network performance, and Quality of Experience. This means the findings are not just technical, but also reflect what customers actually go through when using the service.

Telkom under pressure

Telkom’s struggles are not new. In previous assessments, the regulator had already raised concerns, noting that some operators “failed to meet not only their coverage targets but also a number of the most critical QoS KPIs, particularly the unsuccessful call ratio and data internet KPIs.”

The latest report now shows that the gap between Telkom and its competitors is widening, especially in critical areas like internet stability and call success rates.

For users, the impact is felt in daily life—whether it is trying to make a simple phone call, stream content, or run an online business. Poor network quality continues to affect both individuals and enterprises that rely on stable connectivity.

With demand for data and digital services growing rapidly in Kenya, the pressure is now on Telkom to invest in its infrastructure and improve service delivery.

The regulator has also warned that continued failure to meet standards could attract penalties, as it pushes operators to deliver better quality services to consumers.