Yesterday evening Safaricom launched its new flex bundles. Flex bundles are different from what Safaricom has offered to-date in that they are an integrated bundle that includes voice, data and SMS in a package that enables to use any or all of them based on what is called a flex unit. Each flex unit is the equivalent of 3 SMS, or 3 MB or 2o seconds of talk time. At launch, Safaricom’s flex bundles are as follows:

• Daily Bundle: Kes. 99.00 for 119 flex units @ Kes. 1.00 : 1.16 flex units
• Weekly Bundle: Kes. 599.00 for 700 flex units @ Kes. 1.00 : 1.17 flex units (saving of Kes. 94.00 on regular Safaricom bundles)
• Monthly Bundle:  Kes. 2,499.00 for 3,100 flex Units @ Kes. 1.00 : 1.24 flex units (saving of Kes. 471.00 on regular Safaricom bundles)

I signed up for the monthly bundle yesterday and I will be evaluating the same over the next couple of weeks or so to see if its indeed better value for money where my mobile usage is concerned on the Safaricom network.

At first glance, the flex bundle looks similar to Airtel’s Unliminet bundle which also enables you to buy one integrated bundle for voice, data and SMS but with some substantial differences thrown into the mix as only Safaricom can do. Safaricom is pitching flex as having the potential to save you up to 35% on their regular bundles which is massive!

Another interesting aspect of the Safaricom flex bundle is that you get 3 flex units for every shilling you send via M-Pesa above a minimum amount of Kes. 100.00 sent via an M-Pesa transaction. What this basically means that if you sign-up for the monthly Safaricom flex bundle you would get 90 free flex units for the month which would be the equivalent of 300 MB, or 300 SMS, or 30 minutes of talk time. Ultimately, the flex bundles give you a more cost-effective bundle than what had been on offer to-date from Safaricom. In order to sign-up for the flex bundles, all you need to do is dial either *100# or *200# on your Safaricom line and you can get on immediately.