KaiOS and Telkom launch Kaduda T-Smart – first operator launch in Kenya

The T-Smart is a significant upgrade of Telkom Kenya’s feature phone portfolio. The device will help address the growing demand for competitively-priced internet-enabled devices with affordable data packages.

According to the Digital 2020 report for Kenya , less than half of the population uses the internet (22.86 million people), and only 8.8 million are on social media.

The T-Smart enables Kenyans to access the Internet via 3G/4G/LTE and Wi-Fi. It has an easy-to-use interface that’s optimized for first time internet users. The phone comes with the world’s most popular apps such as WhatsApp, YouTube, Google Assistant, Google Maps, and Facebook, and provides access to hundreds of other applications through the KaiStore. The T-Smart retails at the accessible price point of KSh 3,100 (around USD28) and comes with a variety of data packages, including a free daily bundle comprising 100 MB for internet browsing and 200 MB to access WhatsApp and Facebook.  It is now available in all Telkom shops, countrywide. 

Entry-level smart-feature devices constitute about 40% of phones sold in Kenya, affirming their acceptance and popularity due to longer-lasting batteries and the ability to pick signal faster in areas that are underserved with regard to connectivity.

Steve Okeyo, Telkom Kenya’s Managing Director for Consumer

Less than half of the people in Kenya are going online using their devices and only 20% of them are on social media. At KaiOS, we are focused on closing the digital divide by providing affordable smart feature phones along with relevant and useful apps and services for first-time internet users. We are excited to launch in Kenya through this partnership with Telkom Kenya, and, in doing so, opening the doors to the internet for millions of Kenyans.

Sebastien Codeville, CEO of KaiOS Technologies