Safaricom has unveiled a refreshed version of the Neon Ultra smartphone it has been selling over the last few years in Kenya as well as an entirely new smartphone: the Neon Smarta.
The two smartphones will be offered under the Lipa Mdogo Mdogo program which allows Kenyans to access 4G Android smartphones through pay-as-you-use daily and weekly payment plans. In this case, those interested in the two devices can expect to pay as little as Kshs 50 daily.
They can be procured through Safaricom’s retail stores and/or associated dealers as well as via the *544# short code (under option 8).
Buyers of the devices will get data and minute bundles daily throughout the repayment period. Neon Ultra buyers will get 120MB and 5 minutes daily while their Neon Smarta counterparts will be getting 100MB and 5 minutes daily.
According to Safaricom, over 1 million Kenyans have upgraded to 4G smartphones courtesy of the Lipa Mdogo Mdogo program since its launch over 3 years ago.
“We are keen to enable more Kenyans enjoy the transformative power of the internet by availing affordable 4G devices through Lipa Mdogo Mdogo, which has already empowered over 1 million Kenyans to upgrade from 2G feature phones. We also continue to invest in our network to provide our customers with the best connectivity across the country,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom PLC.
“Lipa Mdogo Mdogo is delivered in partnership with Android, Google’s operating system for internet-enabled devices. All smartphones on offer are loaded with a suite of Google Apps including search, maps, Gmail, and YouTube. They are designed to give users a great smartphone experience and empower them to access their favourite apps when on the move, to conduct business, get entertained and stay connected,” a statement from Safaricom reads.
“The Neon range is designed to offer an optimal combination of screen size, battery capacity, storage, memory and camera at affordable prices while empowering users to enjoy the reliability and wide coverage of Safaricom’s 4G network,” the statement adds. “Over the years, they have become one of the most popular smartphones in Kenya.”
“Lipa Mdogo Mdogo was introduced in 2020 to spur 4G uptake in the country by upgrading customers on 2G feature phones to affordable 4G smartphones. Since then, Safaricom has partnered with manufacturers such as Transsion, Samsung and Nokia to include more smartphones on the Lipa Mdogo Mdogo.”
