Starlink’s market share in Kenya jumped from 0.5% in June to 1.1% by September 2024, according to a report by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA).
This growth places Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider ahead of Liquid, a competitor that held steady at 1% during the same period.
- Satellite internet subscriptions in Kenya grew by 104.7% during the quarter, largely driven by a Starlink campaign that introduced affordable rental options for satellite equipment.
Why it matters
- Starlink, which launched in Kenya in July 2023, is disrupting the dominance of traditional internet providers like Safaricom, Wananchi Group, and Jamii Telecommunications.
- The surge in demand has even led Starlink to temporarily suspend new subscriptions in Nairobi and surrounding areas due to network overload.
Zoom in
To meet rising demand, Starlink recently activated its second African Point of Presence (PoP) in Nairobi, reducing latency for users.
- Average latency for Starlink’s global customers dropped from 57ms to 44ms after the upgrade.
- Kenyan users experienced a sharper decline, with latency dropping from 120ms to just 26ms, according to Jimmy Grewal, managing director at Elcome, a Starlink reseller.
The big picture
Starlink’s rapid expansion in Kenya underscores the growing demand for reliable satellite internet in underserved regions and the competitive pressure it’s placing on legacy ISPs.
Source: TechTrends KE
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