Airtel Africa plans to partner with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to Kenya. Through this partnership, Airtel will be able to expand mobile internet coverage and speeds in underserved regions. The deal would enable direct-to-cell connectivity that allows compatible phones to connect directly to satellites without relying solely on towers.
Airtel CEO Sunil Taldar said the technology could deliver up to 20x speed improvements in remote areas, supporting streaming, cloud services, and other bandwidth-heavy applications.
“By bypassing the need for conventional towers in remote areas, where rugged geography and infrastructure costs traditionally limit connectivity, the technology is expected to dramatically widen access to digital services across our markets,’’ Taldar said.
Kenya’s mobile broadband market is dominated by Safaricom (63%) and Airtel (32%). Satellite connectivity could allow Airtel to extend service to regions where fibre or 4G/5G is limited. This will help narrow the gap and give it a competitive edge in rural areas.
Satellite internet subscriptions have grown rapidly since Starlink entered Kenya in 2023, from 2,933 users to 19,403 in 2024.
The government is pushing for stricter KYC requirements for satellite users. This shows the recent concerns around cybercrime and accountability. Providers must collect national IDs from customers or risk service disruptions. This shows the regulatory challenges satellite internet faces in Kenya.
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