Telkom Kenya Data Manager: How to activate, deactivate or check status

Have you ever been in a situation where you bought a data bundle from Telkom (or Safaricom or Airtel Kenya) and then the bundle ran out but you kept on browsing thinking you still had some data left? I mean, for some reason, the messages telcos usually send when your data is at 50% or 95% (consumed) never caught your attention because of one or two reasons.

Then a few minutes (or hours) later your internet stops working.

So, naturally you take a look at your inbox and for the first time you see those messages you missed. Two messages you find. Sometimes you find three.

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To be sure, you check your data bundle balance and wait for the text message with your bundle balance details.

You open it, and you zero somewhere. So, no data.

At this point you think you can buy another bundle and keep browsing because you know when you topped up there was some airtime left after your bundle purchase.

So you dial *131# to check. Just to be sure, you tell yourself. And lo and behold, nothing. Another zero. To continue browsing, now you have to top up and buy another bundle or borrow airtime / bundles via the PEWA Advanced Airtime menu.

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If you’ve been in a situation like this, you know how painful it can be. Imagine having Kenya Shillings 100 in your account, buying a Sh 50 daily bundle (hoping to buy a similar bundle in case you run out of data), only to later find out that you plowed through the remaining KSh 50.

It can be a bit unsettling.

To stop such occurrences from ever happening again, all the telcos in Kenya have a data manager option tucked somewhere in their 544 menu.

Safaricom has it.

Airtel has it.

And so does Telkom Kenya.

If you activate your data manager, you will only be able to browse when you have an active data bundle – even if you have airtime and your bundle runs out, not even one cent will be deducted from your line.

Any time you don’t have an active bundle Telkom will remind you that you have your Data Manager activated, and prompt you to purchase a bundle to access the internet.

Of course, if you deactivate it (after previously activating it) you can access the internet without having an active data bundle. Telkom will just deduct money from your airtime balance.

For me, the Data Manager is just a good way to ensure that you don’t let your airtime get consumed in a way you didn’t intend while topping up.

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How to activate Telkom Kenya data manager

To activate data manager:

  • Dial *544#
  • Scroll to the bottom and enter the number 7 or 8 to view items on the next page
  • Select option 9: My Data Manager
  • Select option 2: Activate
    You’ll then see this: You have activated Data Manager. You will NOT be able to browse without a bundle. To continue browsing after buying a new bundle switch off & on your phone.
    A text message confirming you have activated data manager will also be sent to your phone, smartphone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer.

How to deactivate Telkom data manager

To deactivate data manager:

  • Dial *544#
  • Scroll to the bottom and enter the number 7 or 8 to view items on the next page
  • Select option 9: My Data Manager
  • Select option 3: Deactivate
    You’ll see this: You have deactivated Data Manager. You will be charged 4/- per MB when you browse without a data bundle.

How to check Telkom data manager status

To check data manager status:

  • Dial *544#
  • Scroll to the bottom and enter the number 7 or 8 to view items on the next page
  • Select option 9: My Data Manager
  • Select option 4: Check Status
    If your data manager is inactive, you’ll see this: Your line is deactivated for Data Manager. You will be charged from airtime when you exhaust your bundle.
    If your data manager is active, you’ll see this: You have activated Data Manager. You will NOT be able to browse without a bundle. You’ll also get a text confirming the same and prompting you to dial *544# to buy a data bundle.
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How to activate data manager for other Telkom Kenya phone number

To activate data manager for another Telkom phone number:

  • Dial *544#
  • Scroll to the bottom and enter the number 7 or 8 to view items on the next page
  • Select option 9: My Data Manager
  • Select option 5: Activate for other number
  • Enter the phone number e.g. 0771******
    You’ll see this: You have activated Data Manager for +254771******. The number will NOT be able to browse without a bundle.

You can use this on a Telkom line you use as a family at home (on a router or modem) or on a line you’ve given to one of your family members (a child perhaps) or at your place of work / business (for an employee in your office).

Why would you want to activate data manager?

To ensure data charges don’t eat up all your airtime balance. You want to ensure that at all times you have something left in your account which can be used to call or text.

Why would you want to deactivate data manager?

If you have a little money in your account and the balance isn’t sufficient to buy a bundle, you can deactivate data manager, browse the web and get charged directly from the airtime in your account.

For example, if you only have KSh 4 left in your account and you quickly want to lookup something online, you can deactivate data manager, browse the web, and then later reactivate it once you top up.

Have something you’d like to add? Let me know in the comments section below.

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