Internet users and mobile phone subscribers will dig deeper into their pockets to pay for services offered by Airtel, Telkom, and Zuku.
Pay TV and internet firm Zuku, as well as the telcos cited the 15 per cent excise duty which followed President Uhuru Kenyatta's assent to the Finance Bill, 2018.
"The application of the excise
duty by the government has led to an increase in the charges payable for the internet component of Zuku Fiber packages," the firm said in a statement on Monday.
Both Telkom and Airtel said they will increase headline voice and data tariffs by 30 cents each and SMS tariff by 10 cents.
The changes take effect from October 23.
Following the changes off-net calls for Telkom will now cost Sh3.30cts per minute, on-net calls Sh2.30cts per minute and SMS (any-net) will cost Sh1.10cts per SMS.
"In addition, our Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) price for mobile data will also be increased by 30 cents per MB; this translates to a new Pay-As-You-Go (PAYG) price of Sh4.30cts," Telkom said.
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The mobile data bundle prices will not be affected," the firm said.
Airtel said prices of all voice and data bundles including Unliminet, Tubonge and Amazing Data bundles remain unchanged.
"We are constrained to increase our headline voice and data tariffs by 30 cents each and our SMS tariff by 10 cents effective from midnight tonight," Airtel said.
Managing director Prasanta Das Sarma said there will be no increase in Airtel Money tariffs.
Simbanet Kenya - a subsidiary of Wananchi Group and owner of Zuku, has increased its charges on
all service packages.
On October 17, Safaricom increased its voice calls and data by 30 cents and SMS by 10 cents.
Internet distribution statistics released by Communication Authority of Kenya show that Wananchi Group leads in home internet while Safaricom leads in mobile data.