Airtel Africa and SpaceX to launch Starlink D2C satellite connectivity across 14 markets
19 December 2025
Airtel Africa has announced a landmark partnership with SpaceX to introduce Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity across its 14 markets, which collectively serve 174 million customers.
This collaboration aims to provide network access via Starlink’s satellite system for Airtel customers with compatible smartphones in regions lacking terrestrial coverage, making it the largest 4G connectivity provider in Africa by geographic reach.
Find out more Starlink launches satellite internet in São Tomé and Príncipe
17 December 2025
Starlink has officially activated its satellite internet service in São Tomé and Príncipe, a significant milestone for one of Africa’s most geographically isolated countries.
The activation was announced through coordinated posts on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), with the company facilitating immediate purchase, installation, and onboarding processes for the island nation off Central Africa’s coast. This development positions São Tomé and Príncipe alongside a growing roster of African countries gaining access to SpaceX’s low-Earth-orbit satellite internet system.
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Satellites powering Africa’s next digital leap
15 December 2025
Yanniv Betito, Telesat’s RVP of
Business Development for EMEA
Africa’s digital leap won’t happen on fibre alone — and satellites are quietly becoming the continent’s most strategic back-up plan and launchpad in one...
Africa’s connectivity challenge remains vast and varied. Where do you see the largest gaps and which of those can satellite technology realistically address first?
Infrastructure remains the greatest challenge across Africa, although regulation and affordability also add significant complexity. Satellite connectivity can directly strengthen infrastructure by improving reliability, interconnecting countries and gateways, and providing both primary and backup links that accelerate development.
Could mega constellations rewrite Africa’s future?
15 December 2025
Africa is stepping into a new era. One defined not by the limits of its geography, but by the vast possibility of its skies. Mega satellite constellations could be the breakthrough that transforms connectivity from a stubborn challenge into a catalyst for continental acceleration.
A continent on the edge of a connectivity revolution
Standing on the outskirts of Nairobi, it’s not uncommon to see a teenager balancing a smartphone and a textbook, searching for an evasive and unreliable signal. This is the paradox of Africa today: a generation eager to plug into the global digital ecosystem, and an infrastructure network that too often leaves them buffering.
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