The number of internet users in Kenya rose 95.6 percent year-on-year to 17.4 million in the fourth quarter of 2011, thanks to an increase in mobile phone subscriptions, the industry regulator said.
Mobile phones are the main mode of accessing the internet in east Africa's largest economy.
Mobile phone subscriptions grew 12.5 percent to 28.1 million from about 25 million in the year before period, the Communication Commission of Kenya said in its latest quarterly report on Wednesday.
“The increase in mobile subscriptions is an indication of operators' determination to continue growing their subscriber base through tactful marketing approaches as a strategy towards customer acquisition,” CCK said.
Safaricom, partly owned by Britain's Vodafone, , held on to top spot with a 66.6 percent market share despite dropping slightly from the previous year's 67.7 percent.
It was followed by the Kenyan unit of India's Bharti Airtel , which shed off 0.5 percentage points to realise a 15.2 percent market share, CCK said.
Telkom Kenya, controlled by France Telecom had 10.3 percent while India's Essar Telecom controlled 7.9 percent having climbed from 6.2 percent the previous year.
CCK said subscriptions to mobile phone-based money transfer services by all operators grew 42.1 percent while deposits through the services rose 54.5 percent to 176.8 billion. - Reuters