Elon Musk’s satellite Internet company, Starlink, has announced that it will launch in Kenya in the second quarter of this year.
The billionaire technology entrepreneur’s company announced it is “pending service coverage or regulatory approval”.
On the other hand, Kenyans can order the service and deposit KES 12,260 ($99), which is fully refundable if approved.
“Order now to reserve your Starlink. Starlink is targeting service in your area starting in Q2 2023. Availability is subject to regulatory approval. Within each coverage area, orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis,” the company said on its website.
The multinational stated that it would target Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nakuru, among other cities, in the three months ending in June.
The company’s entry into Kenya will face intense competition from some industry players.
Safaricom is Kenya’s leading Internet service provider, having spent billions of shillings over the last five years building its fixed-data network to connect homes as demand for online streaming services such as Netflix has grown.
Current Internet service providers provide connectivity through fiber optic cables, Wi-Fi, and cellular networks.
Starlink uses satellites to provide global broadband Internet access, similar to how the global positioning system (GPS) provides location data to cell phones worldwide.
Unlike GPS, it takes thousands of satellites to provide uninterrupted service.
“Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency service is made possible via the world’s largest constellation of highly advanced satellites operating in a low orbit around the Earth,” the company says on its website.
The company will target corporate customers who desire to buy high-speed internet.
Starlink stated at the end of last year that its standard American customers on its fixed internet plans could expect speeds ranging from 20 to 100 megabits per second (Mbps). In contrast, business customers can expect speeds ranging from 40 to 220 Mbps.
Read Also: Iristel, a Canadian Telco, Enters the Kenyan Market
