04 September 2024

Safaricom is concerned about the entry of Starlink into the country’s internet market.

In a letter to the Communications Authority (CA), Safaricom has recommended that it require satellite internet service providers to partner with local mobile network operators, rather than granting them independent operating licenses.

Starlink is rapidly gaining popularity in Kenya and has almost halved its one-time hardware cost from 89,000 shillings to 45,500 KES over the space of a year. A 50GB data plan is now also available for 1,300 KES per month.

Irungu Kang’ata, governor of Murang’a County, urged the government to ignore Safaricom’s concerns, citing that Safaricom’s internet is often slow, with speeds as low as 4.7Mbps, while Starlink offers speeds of up to 100Mbps.