A satellite internet company invented by Elon Musk, Starlink, has been officially launched in the Kenyan market, intensifying competition with local players such as Safaricom, Jamii Telecommunications Limited, and Zuku.
The multinational firm, which is a subsidiary of Musk’s space technology company SpaceX, has appointed local internet provider Karibu Connect as its first authorized reseller in Kenya. Starlink promises to deliver impressive download speeds of up to 250 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 35 Mbps.
According to a notification displayed on Starlink’s website, Kenyan home users can purchase a terminal to enable connections at a cost of Ksh89,000 ($628), along with a shipping fee of Ksh3,100 ($21.88). The monthly subscription charge for residential use will be Ksh6,500 ($45.89).
For businesses, the hardware purchase comes at a cost of Ksh349,106 ($2,465) plus a shipping charge of Ksh7,500. The monthly subscription payment for business use has been set at Ksh13,572 ($95.81). With Starlink’s entry into the Kenyan market, users can look forward to improved internet connectivity and options.
“Starlink is currently available in your area using inter-satellite links. You can expect Starlink’s typical high-speed internet with brief periods of intermittent service and high latency,” states the firm in a web notification.
“Users will be able to engage in common internet activity like email, online shopping or streaming a movie, but they won’t be able to engage in activities like online gaming or video calls. Service will improve dramatically over the next year.”
A recent spot check by Business Daily reveals that Starlink’s pricing for internet services falls in the middle range compared to other providers in the market.
For home use, Safaricom, the market leader, offers a bronze fibre package with a speed of 8 Mbps for Ksh2,999 ($21.17) per month, while the silver bundle with speeds of 20 Mbps is priced at Ksh4,100 ($28.94).
Safaricom’s office-use packages include the gold package with a speed of 40 Mbps, priced at Ksh6,299 ($44.47), and the diamond package with a speed of 100 Mbps, priced at Ksh12,499 ($88.24).
On the other hand, JTL offers packages with different speeds: 40 Mbps at Ksh5,250 ($37) per month, 65 Mbps at Ksh10,500 ($74.13), 90 Mbps at Ksh15,750 ($111.19), and 140 Mbps at Ksh21,000 ($148.25).
Starlink’s technology, however, supports services that traditional terrestrial communications solutions cannot provide, enabling unmodified smartphones to connect to satellites in areas with coverage gaps.
The Starlink services cater to both fixed and mobile applications, including vehicle-mounted solutions for on-the-go use and connectivity on boats and ships operating both inland and offshore.
Safaricom has also planned to offer satellite internet services in partnership with Starlink’s Texas-based competitor, AST SpaceMobile. This move could potentially revolutionize traditional telecoms services, especially in areas where infrastructure has left many regions without internet coverage, particularly in rural parts of the country.