Inside new rules for short codes, network equipment and mobile numbers announced by CA

The Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) has announced a series of regulatory changes and consultations that will affect the administration of telecommunications numbers, short codes, network equipment and, potentially, data centres operating in the country.

The notices issued by the regulator cover an enhanced framework for telecommunications numbering, naming, addressing and identification (NNAI) resources, proposed technical specifications for network equipment, and proposed safeguards for the deactivation and recycling of inactive telecommunications numbers.

The Authority has also separately proposed creating a standalone licence category for data centres, moving away from the current approach of regulating co-location data centres under the Network Facilities Provider Tier 2 licence.

Under the enhanced NNAI framework, the CA says telecommunications short codes will now be allocated on a services-based model rather than being specific to individual telecommunications operators.

The regulator said the change is among the notable enhancements introduced under the new framework for managing Kenya's numbering, naming, addressing and identification resources.

Telecommunications content service providers (CSPs) will also be eligible to receive short codes directly from the CA in bulk for subsequent assignment to end users.

The Authority said the new framework will apply to new assignments from now on.

However, numbers and other resources that were allocated under the previous framework will not immediately be affected.

“Numbering resources assigned under the previous framework ... will continue to be in use until their logical and contractual end,” the CA said in its public notice.

The regulator has advised ICT service providers to manage and use their assigned numbering resources in accordance with the new framework.

The CA's existing regulatory framework describes numbering resources as a limited national resource that has to be managed efficiently to ensure sufficient availability for current and future demand.

The Authority is also progressing work on procedures for deactivating and recycling inactive telecommunications numbering resources.

The CA said it has been consulting the public and stakeholders on proposed procedural and technical safeguards for the process.

Following the consultation period, representations received from stakeholders will be analysed and used to improve the draft procedures.

The regulator has now invited stakeholders and members of the public to a validation exercise on the submissions received and the enhanced draft.

The virtual forum is scheduled for September 15, 2026, from 2pm.

The exercise will provide an opportunity for stakeholders to review the changes made following the consultation process before the proposed procedures move forward.

Telecommunications numbers are treated by the CA as a finite national resource and their management is part of the Authority's regulatory mandate.

The CA has also opened stakeholder and public consultations on proposed Technical Specifications for Network Equipment, 2026.

The specifications are intended to guide the Authority's Type Approval process for network equipment sold or used in Kenya.

Type approval is the regulatory process through which the CA assesses telecommunications equipment to ensure it meets applicable technical requirements before it can be marketed or used on public telecommunications networks.

The Authority says the process is intended to support quality of service, network security, device accessibility, public health and environmental protection.

The CA's existing type-approval framework covers equipment including mobile devices, routers, modems, switches, radio communication equipment and other equipment that sends, processes or receives information through public telecommunications networks.

The proposed 2026 specifications are now open for public and stakeholder input.

Submissions must be sent to specifications@ca.go.ke by September 30, 2026.

Separately, the regulator has proposed a new licensing framework specifically for data centres.

Under the proposal, the CA would introduce a standalone Data Centre licence category rather than continuing to regulate co-location data centres under the Network Facilities Provider–Tier 2 licence category.

The Authority says the proposed approach is intended to provide greater regulatory clarity and visibility over data centre operations while supporting investment in digital infrastructure.

The proposed licence would cover entities providing co-location data centre services, including associated supporting services.

According to CA, the proposal is now open for public and stakeholder comments, with submissions required within 30 days of publication of the notice.

The proposal comes as the CA's broader telecommunications market structure operates under a technology- and service-neutral Unified Licensing Framework.

The Authority currently lists Network Facilities Provider Tier 2 among its national infrastructure licence categories.

The enhanced NNAI framework is already applicable to new numbering assignments, while existing assignments under the previous framework remain in use until their logical and contractual expiry.

According to the notice, the proposed network equipment specifications remain open for public input until September 30.

The proposed procedures for inactive number recycling are moving into a stakeholder validation stage on September 15.

Meanwhile, the data-centre licensing proposal is open for comments for 30 days from publication.

The CA has asked ICT-sector stakeholders and members of the public to participate in the respective consultation processes as it develops and implements the updated regulatory frameworks.