SpaceX, the pioneering spacecraft manufacturer and satellite communications corporation led by tech billionaire Elon Musk, has successfully launched its high-speed Internet and connectivity service, Starlink, in Kenya.
The rollout in Kenya’s major cities, including Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nakuru, comes six months after SpaceX first announced its plans to enter the Kenyan market.
Starlink’s entry into Kenya is expected to present new challenges for local telecom operators and internet service providers.
The move aims to provide Kenyan consumers and businesses with better bandwidth and connectivity options.
SpaceX has appointed local internet firm Karibu Connect as its first authorized reseller in Kenya to facilitate rapid adoption.
Starlink promises download speeds of up to 250 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 35 Mbps.
According to information on Starlink’s website, Kenyan home users can purchase a terminal for Ksh89,000 ($628), with an additional shipping fee of Ksh3,100 ($22). The monthly subscription charge for home users will be Ksh6,500 ($45.9). Business users, on the other hand, will need to invest Ksh349,106 ($2,464) for the kit, along with a shipping charge of Ksh7,500 ($52.9), and a monthly subscription payment of Ksh13,572 ($95.8).
Starlink officially launched in Africa in 2022, with Musk claiming that the satellite Internet service provider will operate anywhere on Earth where it is legally permitted to do so.
The service has now expanded to all seven continents, with recent tests in Antarctica providing connectivity to scientists in the U.S. Antarctic Program.
Earlier this year, Starlink successfully rolled out its service in Nigeria after partnering with the Nigerian government and obtaining an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license.
This move in Kenya comes on the heels of reports indicating that SpaceX is offering to sell insider shares, which could raise the firm’s valuation to $150 billion.
This latest valuation increase, coupled with the surge in Tesla’s share price, has solidified Elon Musk’s position as the world’s richest man, with a net worth of $256 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index.
Starlink’s launch in Kenya marks another milestone for SpaceX, as it continues to expand its global reach, offering cutting-edge satellite Internet service to users around the world.
With its reliable and high-speed connectivity, Starlink aims to revolutionize the way Kenyans access the internet and conduct business online.
