Tesla billionaire Elon Musk’s Internet service provider Starlink is targeting entry into the markets of Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and Zimbabwe by the end of this year, hoping to consolidate in the region and create competition with existing telecommunications companies.
In a distribution chart published on its official website, the company, which is a branch of Musk’s SpaceX, indicated that the entry into Zimbabwe will be carried out before the end of September, while the service will be opened in other markets that have been determined within a quarter of a year.
If successful, the plan will increase to 11 countries in the region using Starlink Internet after its launch in Kenya, South Sudan, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar.
The multinational company is also preparing for the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to enter next year, along with Mauritius, Comoros, and Seychelles—a plan that will increase competition for existing telecommunications companies in the market. Top telcos in Starlink’s targeted markets include Safaricom, MTN, Airtel, Vodacom, Lunitel and Econonet.
According to a side notice on its website, the availability of the service in the planned countries is subject to regulatory approval, with the firm saying that orders will be placed on a first-come, first-served basis.
However, Starlink said launch dates in other countries in the region, including Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, and Sudan remain unknown, meaning there are no plans yet to pursue these four markets.
Although the price for the installation hardware kit in the targeted countries has not been determined, it is expected to be included in the set cost in the active market, which averages $341 (Sh43,977.17), with the highest in Kenya being $353 (Sh45,525.11), while the lowest low in Zambia at $307 (Sh39,592.66).
The hardware kit, which includes the Starlink plate, mounting stand, cables, and power supply, is the largest installation cost with other costs including shipping and handling fees as well as monthly service fees.
Other optional accessories include an Ethernet adapter, a long wall mount, a pipe adapter as well as a 45 meter cable designed to replace the original cable between the plate and the power supply when additional length is required.
In April this year, a BBC report revealed that Starlink had shut down services in Zimbabwe, DRC, Botswana, and South Africa due to lack of operating licenses and other regulatory approvals.
Unlike older fiber-supported network connections, Starlink technology consists of a vast network of small satellites in low Earth orbit, flying at altitudes between 340 and 1,200 kilometers. Users on the ground access the Internet through a phased-array user terminal, which is a satellite dish, and this is aligned with the satellite through, so the connection is continuous and stable.
The technology supports services that are not possible with traditional terrestrial solutions, allowing unmodified smartphones to connect to satellites in areas with coverage gaps.
Starlink’s main strength is its ability to deliver high-speed Internet with low latency, making it ideal for rural or remote areas where traditional Internet service is limited or unreliable.
However, on the downside, bad weather affects the provision of satellite Internet, especially in the case of extreme heavy rain where snowfall or dense cloud cover can interfere with the signal between the satellite dish and the satellite in orbit.
The company also failed to ensure the security of personal information.
“Although we strive to keep information secure, we cannot guarantee that our security measures will prevent all unauthorized attempts to access, use or disclose personal information,” said a statement in the site’s legal section.
In Kenya, the multinational company has begun to threaten local industry players with the country’s leading telecom Safaricom writing to the communications regulator asking for a review of its licensing policy for satellite Internet providers.
In the petition, Safaricom said this could lead to illegal connections as well as harmful interference with mobile networks.
