Video on demand services has risen dramatically in Kenya according to data by the Communications Authority (CA).

According to the latest sector statistics by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA), covering July to September 2017, the growth in video on demand services has occasioned a sharp rise (65%) in fiber-optic internet subscriptions, which has nearly tripled in number in the last one year.

Fiber optic subscriptions (fiber-to-home and fiber-to-business), rose to 90,534 at the end of September up from 54,700 recorded during the previous period.

Video streaming has become the latest sensation for middle class Kenyans, providing thousands of movies and series at the click of a button.

iFIX, SHOWMAX, NETFLIX AND VIUSASA ENTER THE MARKET

The number of video on demand service providers in the country continues to grow to the gain of consumers.

iFlix became the latest entrant in Kenya’s  video on demand market following its launch in August 2017. Kenya is the second African country that the iFlix has been launched in after Nigeria. iFlix offers a selection of films and TV productions from the West, East, and Africa.

Showmax and Netflix launched in the country last year.

Royal Media Services is also keen on getting a slice of the Video on demand market with the launch of its ViuSasa platform, only that unlike with the all the other multinational video on demand services, ViuSasa’s content is strictly local.

ViuSasa offers short-form video entertainment and information content, music videos and audio and TV content in English, Swahili and vernacular languages.

INTERNET USAGE UP BY 12 PERCENT

The demand for data/Internet continues to soar, with the number of estimated data/Internet users in Kenya rising by 12.5 percent to post 39.4 million users compared to 35.9 million users reported in the previous quarter.

Mobile data remains the key contributor to data/Internet subscriptions at 99 percent.