Safaricom has registered 100 per cent improvement in compliance with key network parameters as set out by the regulator, showing a major enhancement in network quality in the last one year.
According to an audit by the Communications Commission of Kenya for the period 2010-2011, Kenya's largest cellular network met six out of eight set criteria, compared to last year, when it was reported to have complied with just three: handover success rate, call set-up time and signal strength.
In what marks a major turnaround, Safaricom met the thresholds for the above three, besides meeting the benchmark for three other key indicators of network quality: dropped calls, blocked calls and call set-up success rate.

"We are very proud of the improvements we have made this year through the efforts of our Network team. The report is, largely, a fair commentary on the extensive investments we have made in our network in the past few months to improve customer experience on our network. We wish to assure our customers that these efforts will continue," said Safaricom's Corporate Affairs Director Nzioka Waita.

Completed calls were 89 per cent of the total, against a benchmark of 90 per cent. Speech quality was at 82 per cent , against a target of 95 per cent.

The report comes on the back of concerted efforts to improve Safaricom's network quality all over Kenya. During the current year, Safaricom set aside a total capex budget of Sh23 billion for this purpose, underpinning the importance the firm is placing on this component of its service. There has been a special focus on previously poorly served areas like Western Kenya. The CCK did not however share its test methodology and specifics as to when the tests were done - issues on which Safaricom intends to engage the regulator further.