Mobile service provider Orange Kenya yesterday launched a promotional offer branded “Chagua Original” (Choose Original) to provide subscribers with genuine 3G handsets at a discount rate of up to 60 percent.
Subscribers buying smartphones or 3G devices at all Orange shops would get one month’s free Internet access as well as free access to Facebook and Wikipedia sites.
Orange Kenya’s chief executive Mickael Ghossein said the company wants to ensure that all the 3 million plus subscribers are not affected by the CCK’s move.
He further noted that the handsets are available in all Orange shops across the country adding that they are affordable and are of superior quality to offer high standard services in communication.
The prices of some available cellphones range from KSh599 (US$7.11) to KSh999 (US$11.87) for ZTE S309.
ZTE San Francisco now retails at KSh7,900(US$73.86) from KSh9,990 (US$118.65), while the Huawei Gaga costs KSh5,999 (US$71.25) as an alternative of KSh8,799 (US$ 104.51).
The CCK earlier this year issued a notice it would switch off the fake mobile phones in the country from September 30.
Ministry of Information and communication permanent secretary Bitange Ndemo said the move is targeted at ensuring all handsets in the country have Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI).
Through the IMEA, the mobile service provider in the country is in a position of identifying genuine phone which can be easily used in tracking crime just in case.
To check the status of the mobile phones, dial *#06# and send its phone IMEI number to 1555.
CCK reports indicate 29.2 million people in the country have mobile phone gadgets, close to 10 percent are counterfeit .
Kenya’s leading cellphone service Safaricom says the four main mobile service providers, Essar Yu,Telkom Orange and Airtel Kenya, would be affected by losing subscribers in turn affecting revenue.
