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Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk, has become Kenya’s eighth-largest internet service provider (ISP), surpassing established players like Liquid Telecommunications.
The company now boasts a subscriber base of 16,746 and has gained a 1.1% market share, according to the latest data from Kenya’s Communications Authority (CA).
Starlink’s rapid rise from the tenth-largest ISP in June 2024 to its current position highlights its dominance in Kenya’s satellite internet market. While other satellite ISPs like Viasat, Indigo Telecom, and NTvsat struggle with fewer than 300 subscribers, Starlink’s growth is positioning it as a leading player.
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This rapid expansion reflects a growing demand for high-speed internet, especially in homes and businesses outside the reach of fixed broadband networks.
However, Starlink’s swift growth has raised some policy concerns. Kenya’s telecom regulator has proposed a significant increase in charges for satellite internet providers, a move that could impact Starlink’s competitors. The proposal would see the cost of a 15-year license increase from $12,302 to $115,331, alongside an annual 0.4% levy on gross turnover.
This new regulation could favour larger, established ISPs such as Safaricom, Airtel Kenya, and Jamii Telecoms, while smaller players, including Viasat and NTvsat, may find the higher costs prohibitive and struggle to expand in remote areas.
In December 2024, Starlink began routing its African users through a dedicated ground facility in Nairobi, Kenya, known as a “point of presence.” This facility allows its space-based network to connect to terrestrial internet infrastructure, improving performance for users. As a result, Starlink users in Kenya have reported significant improvements, with average latency dropping from 120 milliseconds to just 26 milliseconds.
Starlink has also introduced several initiatives to attract more customers. In April and May 2024, the company ran a 30-day promotion that reduced the price of its installation kit from $688 to about $348. Additionally, the company launched a 50GB data plan for $10, undercutting Airtel’s $23 and Safaricom’s $39 offerings. Starlink has also implemented a hardware rental plan, which has reduced the cost of entry for new subscribers.
Looking to the future, Starlink plans to launch new satellites in 2025, which will allow the service to deliver internet directly to mobile devices, eliminating the need for hardware kits altogether.
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