Inside web browser Opera’s plan to lower internet costs

Opera Mini, multiplatform web browser firm Opera’s mobile app, has introduced a data-saving browser which enables users to consume up to 10 times less data, through a unique data compression technology.

Opera says it plans to invest in several areas, including awards of free data bundles for users through its Opera Mini browser, to attract more internet users in the country who would, otherwise, be deterred by high internet costs.

“We want to lower the internet costs, which currently remain very high in Kenya. For example, the cost of a single GB of data in Italy is just $0.12 (about Sh16.8 by current exchange rate terms). In Kenya, meanwhile, the same amount can cost up to $2.25 (Sh315). Our main focus remains the affordability of the internet access via the Opera Mini browser, which itself is a free, no log-in product,” Kseniia Sycheva, Global Senior Communications Manager at Opera said.

Ms Sycheva told Nation.Africa that the company has desktop browsers such as Opera and Opera GX that are available on the African market but has not focused on promoting them in Kenya because almost 75 per cent of internet users in Kenya access the web through mobile devices.

She said after realizing Kenyans’ thrust for internet consumption, coming with their price sensitivity nature, the company has been investing in cheap and free bundles in the country, even as it expands investments to more areas.

Free data bundles

Opera has partnered with local telcos Safaricom and Airtel to facilitate access to the internet for users of its browser, where users are awarded free data bundles when using Opera Mini through one of the providing partners.

In 2020, the company announced a plan to invest $100 million (about Sh14 billion by current exchange rate terms), aimed at curating products to the needs of local markets and entering into local partnerships.

Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa are Opera’s biggest markets in the continent and the company has been keen to invest more in them.

“A huge chunk of our $100 million investment was invested in Kenya only for free bundles. Last year, we still invested a lot in other areas. We had major growth in monthly active users,” Ms Sycheva says.

In response to a huge share of the Kenyan market that has interest in consumption of sports content, Opera also said it has had to onboard platforms such as Live Scores into its browser.

“We know people in Kenya, South Africa and Nigeria are crazy about football and that is why we have that football feature in the browser.”

Internet speed

The company targets to tap into Kenya’s growing internet penetration, working on internet costs for users in its browser to win more.

The company believes that tailoring its Kenyan investments to local needs since venturing into the country 17 years ago has seen it clinch quite a share of the local browser and internet market.

Among actions Opera started with was to invest in local data servers and centres across Kenya, Nigeria and South Africa, its major African markets, to increase internet speed and cut costs.

“Thanks to the fact that we built this technology here, partnered with local telcos – including Safaricom and Airtel – and have maintained facilities across the continent, we have almost 150 million users throughout Africa; Opera Mini – our most popular product – alone boasts nearly 100 million users,” Ms Sycheva said. 

The multinational also says it is investing in start-ups, working with content creators and promoting digital literacy as some of the ways to have an impact in markets it is operating in.

“We see how much potential the Kenyan market has and how it is growing, so we are planning to continue investing in it. The main challenges in Kenya remain high data costs and the low availability of devices to access the internet and information,” she said.