Fibre, fixed wireless or satellite: which connection suits your home?
Three ways to get a fixed internet connection in Kenya, what each is good at, and a simple way to decide.
Choosing a provider is easier once you know the technology behind the plan. In Kenya today, a fixed connection usually arrives by one of three routes. According to Communications Authority of Kenya statistics reported in September 2026, fibre makes up more than half of fixed connections, while satellite is around one percent.
Fibre optic
Light travels through glass cables to your building. Fibre offers high capacity and low delay, and speeds are less affected by weather or distance from the street cabinet. Its limitation is reach: the cable has to arrive at your building, which is why we check your address before installation.
Fixed wireless
A small antenna at your property receives a signal from one of the provider's network sites. It can be installed quickly in areas where fibre has not yet been laid. Performance depends on the signal path between your antenna and the site, which is why a survey matters.
Satellite
A dish at your property talks to satellites overhead. It can serve places that no fibre or wireless network reaches. It is typically priced higher and is best treated as a solution for remote locations rather than for a flat in a city.
| Fibre | Fixed wireless | Satellite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Homes and offices on the fibre route | Places fibre has not reached | Remote sites with no alternative |
| Main strength | Capacity and low delay | Fast to install | Reaches almost anywhere |
| Main limitation | Cable must reach the building | Needs a good signal path | Higher cost, remote-use focus |
How to decide
- Check your address. Ask any provider whether fibre reaches your building.
- If fibre is available, start there.
- If it is not, ask for a fixed-wireless site survey rather than assuming.
- Treat satellite as the option for places nothing else reaches.
Unicast offers fibre and fixed wireless. Use our coverage checker to see what is possible at your address, or open a sales ticket and our team will confirm it for you.
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