NAIROBI, Kenya — Safaricom has introduced nine new mobile phone number ranges, giving customers seeking new lines additional options as the telecommunications company expands its numbering capacity.
In a notice issued on August 10, Safaricom announced the new prefixes as 0118, 0119, 0140, 0141, 0142, 0143, 0180, 0181 and 0182.
The new ranges are available to customers purchasing Safaricom lines from the company’s shops and authorised dealer outlets across the country.
“Fresh number, fresh start! Safaricom’s new number ranges are here, giving you more ways to stay connected to the people and moments that matter,” the company said.
Safaricom said customers can obtain numbers from the new ranges at any Safaricom Shop or authorised dealer outlet, subject to availability.
The latest expansion comes as Kenya’s traditional 07xx mobile numbering range faces increasing pressure due to the continued growth in mobile subscriptions and demand for new connections.
Safaricom Expands Mobile Numbering Options
The introduction of the nine prefixes adds millions of potential number combinations to Safaricom’s available inventory.
The company has progressively expanded its numbering blocks over the years as its customer base has grown. Safaricom’s early and most recognisable prefixes included 0722, 0721 and 0720, which were introduced during the company’s expansion of mobile services in the early 2000s.
As demand increased, additional 07xx ranges, including 070x, 071x, 074x, 075x, 076x and 079x, were introduced to provide more numbering capacity.
Kenya subsequently expanded mobile numbering beyond the traditional 07xx series by introducing the 01xx range.
Safaricom received blocks within the 01xx series, with prefixes such as 0110 and 0111 introduced commercially for mobile services. Further ranges, including 0112, 0113, 0114 and 0115, were later added.
The latest allocation extends that expansion with the introduction of the 0118, 0119, 0140–0143 and 0180–0182 ranges.
Existing Safaricom Customers Not Affected
The introduction of the new prefixes does not require existing Safaricom customers to change their phone numbers.
Instead, the additional ranges are intended to provide new numbering capacity for customers purchasing new Safaricom lines.
Availability will depend on the stock held by individual Safaricom shops and authorised dealers.
Safaricom also reminded customers to protect their mobile security credentials, including keeping their M-PESA PINs and other confidential information private and avoiding sharing them with other people.
The new number ranges are expected to give Safaricom greater flexibility in allocating new mobile connections as demand for telecommunications services continues to grow in Kenya.
