The highly recommended, satellite advanced internet connectivity firm Starlink led by Tech behemoth Elon Musk has eventually spread its wings to the African continent. Starlink is an internet broadband system that began launching satellites in 2019.
This is good news for the technological future of the continent generally as the internet provider debuted in Nigeria on Tuesday; seven months after Musk announced the company had received approval to launch in the West African country.
Following the successful setup in Nigeria, the Kenyan stage is set and awaiting its launch after the company’s announcement last month that it would launch in the second quarter of 2023.
Starlink has managed an availability in 44 countries globally, targeting customers who struggle to access the internet through traditional landlines. Having launched more than 3000 satellites into low-Earth orbit, which have the capacity to provide high-speed internet services.
The company assures provision of the quickest connection speeds that up to 150Mbps to any place on the planet earth considering the satellite dish placement in alignment with the sky.
Starlink’s kit comes in three trim levels; Standard for “residential users and everyday internet applications” like streaming, video calls, and online gaming; High Performance for “power user, business, and enterprise applications”. This kit allows better speeds at high temperatures, can connect to more satellites, and is more resilient to extreme environments.
The most sophisticated of them all, the Flat High-Performance kit, targets “mobility applications and challenging environments”.
The kit comes with the Starlink dish, mounting tripod, Wi-Fi router, router mount, power supply, power supply mount, and cables.
“Mounts designed to permanently install on a pole to avoid obstructions will be available for purchase on the Starlink Shop once your Starlink is ready to ship. Extended cable lengths, mesh nodes, and ethernet adapters are also available,” the company says.
Starlink charges in Kenya will be Ksh.74,216 ($599) whereas the slot for preorder opened allowing for a deposit of a fully refundable deposit of Ksh.12,260 ($99) to reserve a kit as the firm awaits regulatory approval.
In Kenya, Starlink will commence the rollout in various cities; including Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, and Nakuru by June 2023, where the users are offered a 30-day trial if not satisfied can opt out.
“Order now to reserve your Starlink. Starlink is targeting service in your area starting Q2 2023. Availability is subject to regulatory approval. Within each coverage area, orders are fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis,” the company said last month.
As the highly awaited arrival raises optimism among citizens for potential quick connectivity, other African countries are embracing the connectivity ie Mozambique which has the ISP has the green light to operate.
