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Internet services have become more of a basic need with the growing demand for remote work, online education, streaming, social media, and digital transactions.
In a city like Nairobi, where nearly every household depends on a stable connection, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) are locked in a fierce battle to dominate the market.
Many ISPs are using a mix of clever marketing and questionable tactics to attract and retain customers. From flashy discounts that vanish after the first month to hard-to-exit contracts, reduced speeds, and hidden conditions, some providers are prioritising short-term gains over long-term customer satisfaction.
Here are some of the things that internet service providers do just to gain customers:
1. Cheap introductory offers
Many ISPs in Nairobi hook customers with what seems like an unbeatable deal, free installation, or heavily discounted routers.
These offers are usually limited to a promotional window, such as the first one or two months, after which the pricing increases significantly.
In some cases, the initial plan auto-renews into a more expensive package. These promotional deals are often advertised prominently, while the terms and conditions are buried.
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This strategy works well in Nairobi's competitive market because price is a major concern for many households.
However, once the promotion ends, customers are either forced to pay more or endure the complicated process of switching providers.
2. Speed promises that rarely match reality
It’s common to see ISPs in Nairobi advertise high-speed internet packages at attractive prices.
However, the real experience often falls short. In many cases, these speeds are only available during off-peak hours, and actual performance during the day can be significantly lower.
The result is frustration, especially for people who work from home, stream content, or game online. ISPs rely on the fact that most customers won’t test their speeds regularly or may not know how to verify what they're paying for.
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3. Selective customer service
Some ISPs prioritise customer service based on the neighbourhood you live in. Nairobi’s more affluent areas often get quicker installations and faster response times compared to less central or lower-income areas.
The disparity extends to technical support, where some users have reported waiting weeks for a technician to fix a fault.
This location-based bias is rarely disclosed when you sign up. Instead, you’ll see generic promises like “24/7 support” or “same-day installation,” which are not honoured uniformly.
This selective treatment not only creates a poor customer experience but also reinforces digital inequality.
ISPs use sales teams to aggressively target new areas but often lack the infrastructure to maintain good service there.
4. Unclear fair usage policies (FUP)
While FUP is meant to ensure that no single user hogs bandwidth at the expense of others, some Nairobi ISPs use it to silently throttle speeds for regular users after they exceed a certain amount of data.
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You may be paying for a 30Mbps plan but find that after streaming for a few days, your speed drops significantly even if you're the only user.
Since this isn’t technically a 'downtime' or disconnection, the ISP isn’t liable, and customer care will cite the FUP to justify the slower speeds.
5. Manipulative sales agents and door-to-door marketing
In Nairobi’s estates, it’s common to see door-to-door sales agents aggressively marketing ISP packages. While this brings services closer to potential users, it also opens the door to manipulation.
Some agents over-promise or give misleading information just to close a sale.
For instance, they may claim a provider has coverage in your area when they don’t, or that the speeds are guaranteed 24/7.
These agents often work on commission, incentivising them to stretch the truth. Once the contract is signed, many customers find that follow-up support from the agent is non-existent.
Complaints to the main customer care lines often lead to delays or denial of responsibility. This tactic especially targets first-time users or those unfamiliar with how ISPs work, leading to costly and frustrating experiences.
6. Fake reviews and influencer hype
With the rise of social media influencers and digital marketing, many ISPs now rely on glowing testimonials to build trust.
However, not all of these endorsements are authentic. Some companies pay influencers or bloggers to promote their services without disclosing that it's a sponsored post.
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Others create fake Google reviews or pay users to leave positive ratings on platforms like Facebook and Twitter. As a result, potential customers are misled into believing the service is flawless.
Once the customer signs up and experiences poor service, it’s often too late. The challenge lies in distinguishing genuine user experiences from paid hype, especially when dissatisfied customers are drowned out by sponsored positivity.