For the longest time now, Kenyans have been able to tell the carrier for any phone number based on the prefix. That is because these prefixes have been the same since the early 2000s.
Fast forward several years later and Safaricom is over-18 and the 07xx numbers we have grown to know, have all been depleted. The Communication Authority (CA) ‘opened’ a new batch and in August 2019, we saw the first 01xx numbers from Airtel Kenya.
Today, Safaricom has announced the introduction of SIM cards with new 0110 and 0111 prefixes following the phasing out of the now-vintage 07xx Safaricom prefix.
According to the telco, the new-prefix SIM cards will be available free of charge. However, customers still be required to activate their lines with airtime top-up of KSh.50.
With this launch, Safaricom has also rolled out a new numbering system. In this new system, customers now have the freedom to choose their own number. In the past, phone numbers came pre-assigned to the sim cards with customers only having the option to choose from the available random numbers then memorize it with the Safaricom prefix.

“The new 0110 and 0111 prefixes alongside our new numbering system are part of our “For You” commitment to be Simple, Transparent and Honest. We continue to invest in additional enhancements and services to better meet the needs of our customers as they evolve and to also provide them with even more freedom and flexibility,”
Sylvia Mulinge, Chief Customer Officer, Safaricom.
As mentioned, the new prefixes were allocated by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) last year following the exhaustion of the 07XX prefixes.
Below is a list of the 07xx prefix and the operator
Prefix | Example | Operator |
---|---|---|
100 | +254,100 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
101 | +254,101 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
102 | +254,102 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
110 | +254,110 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
111 | +254,111 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
701 | +254,701 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
702 | +254,702 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
703 | +254,703 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
704 | +254,704 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
705 | +254,705 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
706 | +254,706 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
707 | +254,707 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
708 | +254,708 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
710 | +254,710 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
711 | +254,711 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
712 | +254,712 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
713 | +254,713 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
714 | +254,714 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
715 | +254,715 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
716 | +254,716 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
717 | +254,717 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
718 | +254,718 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
719 | +254,719 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
720 | +254,720 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
721 | +254,721 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
722 | +254,722 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
723 | +254,723 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
724 | +254,724 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
725 | +254,725 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
726 | +254,726 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
727 | +254,727 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
728 | +254,728 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
729 | +254,729 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
730 | +254,730 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
731 | +254,731 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
732 | +254,732 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
733 | +254,733 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
734 | +254,734 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
735 | +254,735 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
736 | +254,736 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
737 | +254,737 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
738 | +254,738 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
739 | +254,739 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
740 | +254,740 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
741 | +254,741 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
742 | +254,742 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
743 | +254,743 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
745 | +254,745 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
746 | +254,746 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
747 | +254,747 xxxxxx | Faiba 4G |
748 | +254,748 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
750 | +254,750 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
751 | +254,751 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
752 | +254,752 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
753 | +254,753 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
754 | +254,754 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
755 | +254,755 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
756 | +254,756 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
757 | +254,757 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
758 | +254,758 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
759 | +254,759 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
763 | +254,763 xxxxxx | Equitel |
764 | +254,764 xxxxxx | Equitel |
765 | +254,765 xxxxxx | Equitel |
768 | +254,768 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
770 | +254,770 xxxxxx | Telkom Kenya |
771 | +254,771 xxxxxx | Telkom Kenya |
772 | +254,772 xxxxxx | Telkom Kenya |
773 | +254,773 xxxxxx | Telkom Kenya |
774 | +254,774 xxxxxx | Telkom Kenya |
775 | +254,775 xxxxxx | Telkom Kenya |
776 | +254,776 xxxxxx | Telkom Kenya |
780 | +254,780 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
785 | +254,785 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
786 | +254,786 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
787 | +254,787 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
788 | +254,788 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
789 | +254,789 xxxxxx | Airtel Kenya |
790 | +254,790 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
791 | +254,791 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
792 | +254,792 xxxxxx | Safaricom |
With the unveiling of the new prefixes, Safaricom now has the capacity to add 2 million additional customers to its network. Currently, the service provider has over 34.5 million customers according to latest CA reports.
What are your thoughts on Safaricom new prefix and numbering system? Love the flexibility that comes with it?
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