Safaricom Increases Home Fiber FUP Limit to 15TB — Post-FUP Speeds Now Up to 100Mbps

Safaricom has quietly increased the fair usage policy of all five of its packages, and the interesting bit is that this increase in FUP has been around for a few weeks. 

All five packages will now have a FUP of up to 15TB, but the bronze package is the one that has seen a massive upgrade from 500GB to a whopping 15TB, which is 30 times faster.

This is a very massive change to many Kenyan users, especially those who play heavy titles such as Call of Duty, which usually have massive upgrades, streamers, and YouTubers who upload huge videos.

What’s WIth Safaricom Home Fibre Plans

Safaricom's introduction of a Fair Usage Policy (FUP) in 2021 was met with significant backlash and widespread criticism, despite the simultaneous increase in connection speeds. Following this move, some consumers even threatened to abandon the telco. Safaricom defended the FUP by arguing that most households do not use up their data caps, and while this may be true for some, a segment of users reported exhausting their allocated data within the first one to two weeks.

By 2025, complaints about fair usage policies have largely subsided, and the notion of "unlimited" has become a much more accurate reflection of reality.

The bronze package previously included severe speed throttling, with speeds reduced to 1Mbps upon reaching the 500GB data cap. Similarly, the 30Mbps and 80Mbps packages were throttled to 3Mbps, the 500Mbps package to 50Mbps, and the 1000Mbps package to 100Mbps after the cap was exceeded.

The company is implementing a revised structure for post-usage-limit throttling speeds across its range of broadband packages. This change is designed to ensure a baseline level of service continuity for customers who exceed their package's data cap, while also encouraging fair usage of network resources.

The new throttling speeds for each package are detailed below:

Bronze Package (15 Mbps): The maximum speed for this entry-level package, once the data limit has been reached, will be throttled down to 2 Mbps. This speed remains sufficient for basic browsing, standard-definition video streaming, and email correspondence.

Silver Package (30 Mbps): Customers on the Silver tier will see their maximum speed capped at 4 Mbps after exceeding their allocated data usage. This provides enough bandwidth for multi-tasking, music streaming, and maintaining connectivity for several devices.

Gold Package (80 Mbps): The Gold package, which caters to more demanding users, will be throttled to a maximum speed of 8 Mbps post-limit. This speed supports high-definition streaming on one or two devices and offers a reasonable experience for online gaming or video conferencing.

Diamond Package (Original speed not specified): The premium Diamond tier will now have its post-limit speed set at 50 Mbps. This substantial throttling speed ensures that high-demand users still retain a very fast connection, suitable for 4K streaming and high-volume data transfers, even after crossing their initial limit.

Platinum Package (Original speed not specified): For the highest-tier Platinum customers, the new throttling speed will be capped at an impressive 100 Mbps. This top-tier throttled speed is designed for the most bandwidth-intensive households and businesses, ensuring minimal disruption to service quality, allowing for multiple simultaneous high-definition streams, and fast large-file downloads.

These new limits represent a commitment to providing a consistent service level, even during periods of heavy network utilization, by defining clear and predictable throttling speeds for all customers who reach their data thresholds.

Comparison of Safaricom Fibre Speeds (After FUP Cap)

Package	Old Speed (After FUP)	New Speed (After FUP)	Change
Bronze	1 Mbps	2 Mbps	2x Faster
Silver	3 Mbps	4 Mbps	1.33x Faster
Gold	3 Mbps	8 Mbps	2.67x Faster
Diamond	50 Mbps	50 Mbps	No Change
Platinum	100 Mbps	100 Mbps	No Change

Why Safaricom Made the  Change

In Financial Year 2024 (FY24), Safaricom significantly expanded its customer base, adding over 110,000 new customers, encompassing both homes and businesses. This growth extended their network reach to more than 370,000 homes and 32,000 businesses. 

The surge in customer numbers likely led to increased instances of customers hitting their data caps, resulting in severe speed throttling. Consequently, the telco has now increased the Fair Usage Policy (FUP) limits across its packages, likely to better accommodate the higher usage demands of its expanded customer base.

To maintain its competitive edge against rivals such as Zuku, Faiba, and Poa Internet, Safaricom must focus on offering a diverse range of packages and a customer-friendly Fair Usage Policy. This strategy is crucial not only for attracting new customers but also for ensuring their long-term retention.

What This Means for Customers

Customers can now be confident that their data usage will not be as constrained as it was with the previous packages. This improvement gives those who left for other Internet Service Providers (ISPs), primarily due to restrictive Fair Usage Policies (FUP), a compelling reason to return.

The new capabilities will be a welcome change for heavy internet users. This includes cyber café and movie shop owners, as well as gamers who frequently download massive updates, sometimes up to 200 GB, for demanding titles. Additionally, YouTubers who upload high-resolution 4K content will now have a reason to be pleased.

Pricing and Availability

The price is consistent across all packages, regardless of your current or intended usage. To upgrade your plan, simply dial *400#, select 'Home Fibre,' and follow the prompt, or you can visit any Safaricom outlet.

Final Thoughts

Safaricom's decision to raise the Fair Usage Policy (FUP) limits for all customers is an excellent step and should be adopted by other internet service providers. Both heavy individual users and businesses will welcome this increase in data allowances.

Safaricom has also increased the Fair Usage Policy (FUP) for its 5G business plans. These 5G data caps are now quite comparable to those previously offered with their fibre packages.

I  would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below about what you think of the new FUP. Cheers!