This post mainly targets textaholics i.e. people who spend countless hours on their phones texting their friends, family or loved, though don’t close this post if you aren't among the textaholics, we all definitely love a good deal; even if it’s just reading about them.

Three of mobile service providers have exciting SMS packages this festive season, some temporary while others more or less permanent.

Airtel re-launched its prepaid SMS bundles, giving subscribers the opportunity to spend between KES 1 to 20 cents on both on-net and off-net SMS.

Safaricom on the other hand scrapped off its unlimited SMS bundles, replacing it with 200 text messages all day at a fixed rate of KES 10 per day. Under this plan, Safaricom subscribers will spend 0.05 cents for every on-net SMS they send. There is the 20 text messages all day plan which goes for KES 5 pay day. Under this plan subscribers spend 25 cents per SMS sent within the network.

As a festive special, Orange Mobile has lowered its SMS sending rates to 50 cents per SMS across all networks. As part of this festive offer, call rates to Orange Mobile, Orange Wireless and Telkom Landline have been reduced to KES 1 per minute.

yuMobile SMS rate across all networks is KES 1.

Let’s compare what the above three mobile service providers have to offer in regard to SMS rates:

[caption id="attachment_26773" align="alignnone" width="669"] Compiled by pesatalk.com[/caption]

From the above table, Safricom’s 200 SMS bundle plan has the lowest per SMS rate as compared to what other mobile service providers charge per SMS. This is though only in regard to on-net text messages. Once you exhaust the 200 SMS allocated to you for that day you will be charged an out-of bundle rate of KES 1 per SMS. The plan is basically ideal when you stick within the 200 SMS limit.

In regard to off-net SMS rates, Airtel’s 100 SMS bundle plan is more affordable as compared to what the other mobile service providers charge. Again, this is only applicable when you limit yourself to 100 text messages a day. Once you exhaust the 100 SMS limit you will be charged an out of bundle rate of KES 2 per SMS.