Jan 23, 2025 Story by: Editor
In at least five of the 16 African countries where Starlink is available, a monthly subscription to the satellite internet service is more affordable than plans from leading fixed internet providers.
Since its launch in 2019 by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Starlink has grown into the world’s foremost satellite internet provider, now operational in over 100 countries. In regions with limited internet service providers, such as parts of Africa, Starlink has emerged as a cost-effective and accessible option for internet connectivity.
A recent analysis by Rest of World found that Starlink’s monthly subscription costs in Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Cape Verde are cheaper than those of the leading fixed internet service providers. However, these costs do not include the upfront investment for Starlink hardware, which varies by country—from $178 for a Starlink Mini in Kenya to $381 for a Standard Actuated kit in Nigeria.
Starlink’s pricing is not fixed; the company occasionally adjusts its rates based on market conditions. “Starlink may adjust prices over time to reflect market conditions resulting in a decrease or increase of the monthly service plan cost,” states the company’s website. SpaceX did not respond to Rest of World’s request for comment regarding pricing policies.
Disrupting the Internet Industry in Kenya
Starlink has significantly disrupted Kenya’s internet market since its debut in July 2023. Offering high-speed connectivity, broad availability in remote areas, and relatively low prices, the service has drawn thousands of users. The company even introduced a rental option to further lower entry barriers.
According to Kenya’s Communications Authority, as of June 2024, more than 8,000 Kenyans were subscribed to Starlink, ranking it as the tenth most popular internet provider in the country. In comparison, legacy providers Safaricom and Jamii have maintained their market dominance with 546,000 and 360,000 subscribers, respectively.
However, Starlink’s swift adoption has spurred competition. Companies like Safaricom have responded by lowering prices and improving service speeds. Safaricom’s parent company, Vodacom, has also partnered with satellite mobile network AST SpaceMobile to enhance satellite internet offerings in Europe and Africa.
For some Kenyans, Starlink has been a game-changer. Abel Boreto, an investor based in Nairobi, described how he switched to Starlink after struggling with Safaricom’s expensive and unreliable service. “Safaricom was quite on the high side and the internet wasn’t even reliable, so I decided to try out Starlink, which is more affordable ($10 per month for 50GB) to subscribe and use in the long term,” Boreto told Rest of World. “It’s very fast and allows me to also share the internet with my parents and relatives when I’m not there.”
Expanding Access Amid Growing Demand
Starlink’s popularity in Kenya has been so significant that the company temporarily paused new subscriptions in major cities in early November due to network overload. Plans are underway to deploy additional infrastructure in Nairobi and Johannesburg to meet growing demand, said Nitinder Mohan, a computer science professor at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Mohan emphasized the transformative potential of satellite internet, particularly in underserved areas. “I can be in the middle of a forest and, if I have a direct view of the sky, I can get my internet connectivity,” he said. “Regions which are previously interconnected—where there was no way of getting internet connectivity to them—now with these satellites, you can actually enable that.”
The Risks of a Single Dominant Player
While Starlink’s expansion has been hailed as a boon for connectivity in internet-poor regions, concerns about monopolization loom. Mohan pointed out that reliance on a single provider could expose users to price hikes and deteriorating service quality. Local telecom companies have also voiced worries about Starlink’s market dominance undermining their businesses, which employ thousands of people across Africa.
Despite these concerns, Starlink’s impact on Africa’s internet accessibility is undeniable. With more infrastructure investments planned, the company appears poised to bring even more people online in the coming years. Source: Rest of World
