Airtel Africa, the continent’s second-largest telecoms operator, is exploring a Starlink-led enlargement technique that might change how cellular web is delivered in Kenya and 14 different African markets.
The telco is in late-stage discussions with SpaceX to combine Starlink’s direct-to-cell expertise into its community, its chief govt, Sunil Taldar, mentioned on Thursday. The transfer might develop protection and enhance speeds in areas the place terrestrial infrastructure stays sparse.
The proposed mannequin permits customary cellular gadgets to attach on to low Earth orbit satellites, quite than relying solely on towers and fibre backhaul. That method targets rural and hard-to-reach areas the place community rollout is pricey and sluggish, and the place operators wrestle to justify the excessive capital prices of latest base stations.
Taldar mentioned the telco expects to conclude negotiations inside the first half of its monetary yr, including that satellite tv for pc connectivity would complement, not exchange, present cellular infrastructure, significantly in low-density areas the place protection gaps persist.
“By bypassing the necessity for typical towers in distant areas, the place rugged geography and infrastructure prices historically restrict connectivity, the expertise is predicted to dramatically widen entry to digital companies throughout our markets,’’ he mentioned.
Safaricom leads Kenya’s cellular broadband market with about 63% of subscriptions, whereas Airtel Kenya holds roughly 32%, in response to the most recent regulatory information. Smaller gamers, together with Telkom Kenya, Equitel and Jamii Telecommunications (JTL), account for the remaining share.
Satellite tv for pc integration permits Airtel to develop community attain with out matching the tower density of its bigger rival. It additionally positions the operator to compete on service high quality in areas the place fibre and constant 4G protection stay restricted.
Kenya’s web penetration is about 49%, with an estimated 27.4 million customers, in response to DataReportal figures. Progress is more and more tied to increasing entry outdoors main city centres, the place connectivity stays uneven regardless of sturdy cellular adoption.
The timing additionally coincides with speedy development in satellite tv for pc web uptake. Official information reveals subscriptions rose from 2,933 in 2023, when Starlink launched in Kenya, to 19,403 in 2024. Even with that surge, satellite tv for pc connections nonetheless signify a small fraction of the nation’s complete web consumer base.
Authorities are contemplating stricter identification and verification necessities for satellite tv for pc web customers to align them with present telecom know-your-customer guidelines. Officers argue the measures are supposed to handle safety and cybercrime dangers tied to cross-border connectivity.
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