𝐀𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐥 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐒𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐗’𝐬 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐲.

By Robert Wanyonyi.

Airtel Africa has just announced a groundbreaking partnership with SpaceX to bring Starlink’s satellite-based internet services to the 14 markets it operates in on the continent.

This exciting collaboration will integrate Starlink’s high-speed low-latency internet into Airtel Africa’s offerings revolutionizing connectivity for individuals, businesses and communities across the region.Starlink has already secured regulatory licenses in 9 of the countries where Airtel Africa operates,with applications pending in the remaining five countries.

This move underscores the growing importance of low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks in providing connectivity to areas where traditional infrastructure is either too expensive or impractical to implement. Sunil Taldar, Managing Director and CEO of Airtel Africa expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership, stating that next-generation satellite connectivity will ensure reliable and affordable voice and data services even in the most remote parts of Africa.

In a strategic move, Starlink launched in Kenya in July 2023 and has quickly gained close to 20,000 subscribers, capturing a 1.1% share of the fixed data market. Despite initial concerns raised by Kenya’s largest telco, Safaricom, regarding sectoral security, the government has recognized Starlink as a competitive player in the market.

Starlink had considered a partnership with Safaricom but has now chosen to collaborate with Airtel Kenya to expand its reach nationwide.Chad Gibbs,Vice President of Starlink Business Operations at SpaceX expressed excitement about working with Airtel to bring the transformative benefits of Starlink to African populations in innovative ways.

Airtel Africa with over 156 million customers in sub-Saharan Africa, has made digital inclusion a key focus of its growth strategy. By leveraging satellite internet, the telco aims to enhance connectivity for remote education, digital finance and telemedicine addressing the increasing demand for reliable internet access.