A person sending a text message.[Photo/VOA]
New data from the Communication Authority has revelaed the number of text messages send by Kenyans upto September.
The data indocates that 19.3 billion text messages have been sent in the three months to September 2017 as the elections boosted the use of mobile phone services.
The data shows that the number of SMS sent during the period was 58 per cent higher than those sent during a similar period last year.
“The increase in mobile voice and SMS traffic is attributed to the electioneering period during which these services were used as campaign tools by various politicians to reach out to people,” said the CA in the report.
According to CA, the use of SMS by the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) also pushed up the numbers.
It is estimated that a similar trend might be seen in the figures for the period from October to December, which will cover the repeat election period.