Safaricom (NSE: SCOM) has launched a managed SD-WAN service that allows businesses with multiple branches to run their connectivity as one network for a fixed monthly fee, without buying equipment upfront. Branch packages start at KES 9,500 a month on a 36-month contract, with the equipment, software, maintenance and round-the-clock support included.
The service addresses a recurring cost for companies operating across branches, depots and clinics. A single cut fibre line or failed link can halt payment terminals, teller counters and dispatch operations, costing sales, while traditional MPLS circuits, the private lines many firms use to link their sites, are expensive, rigid and slow to upgrade when a new location opens.
SD-WAN, short for software-defined wide area network, works as a traffic controller for a company’s network. Rather than relying on a single line that can fail, it combines the connections a business already uses, including fibre, 4G and 5G, broadband, dedicated internet access and MPLS, into one centrally managed network.
When a connection fails, traffic can switch automatically to a backup link, helping keep tills, stock management and online ordering running. During normal operations, the service balances traffic across the available links, so a secondary line works for the business instead of sitting idle until the primary one fails.
The network also recognises which applications matter most, giving a video call or a customer payment priority over non-essential web browsing. Security filters and threat protection are built in at each site, so businesses do not need to buy separate firewall hardware for every location.
“For a business with several branches, a single connection failure can stop sales, leave staff unable to reach the systems they need and keep customers waiting. Our SD-WAN service brings those connections under one managed network for a predictable monthly fee, so businesses can expand without a large upfront investment in hardware, with Safaricom providing the support,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom PLC.
Safaricom is offering the service in three plans on 12, 24 or 36-month contracts. The Basic Plus plan, aimed at standard branches and regional offices that need a reliable connection with automatic 5G backup, costs KES 9,500 a month per branch and KES 29,500 a month for headquarters equipment on a 36-month term.
The Standard Plus plan, designed for high-volume sites, head offices and locations that need advanced threat protection, costs KES 14,100 a month per branch and KES 30,400 for headquarters on the same term. The Advanced Plus plan for headquarters starts at KES 67,100 a month.
Longer contracts lower the monthly cost significantly. Across all three plans, the 36-month rate is less than half the 12-month rate: a Basic Plus branch costs KES 19,800 a month on a 12-month contract, against KES 9,500 on a 36-month one.
The service is designed for medium-sized businesses with distributed operations. Banks can use it to keep ATMs, tellers and mobile banking online; retailers and distributors to keep point-of-sale terminals, inventory databases and dispatch teams connected; and manufacturers to link production plants to head-office enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems. Clinic chains can keep patient records, prescription data and lab systems loading quickly across branches.
Through its Ready Mobility offering, businesses can open new branches on 4G or 5G in locations where suitable mobile coverage is available, without waiting for fibre installation, and add fibre later as their needs grow. Equipment is configured remotely as part of the setup, subject to an assessment of coverage and the customer’s network requirements.
Businesses can retain their existing connections, including those from other providers. A single online dashboard shows the health and speed of every site, allowing IT teams to manage the whole network from one screen, while Safaricom engineers in Kenya monitor and support the service around the clock.
The SD-WAN fee is charged separately from connectivity, with the final package and network design determined by each customer’s requirements.
Businesses can request an assessment or demonstration through their Safaricom Business relationship manager, by emailing business@safaricom.co.ke or by visiting https://business.safaricom.co.ke/products/SDWAN.
