Airtel Africa turns to Starlink to cover rural areas with no masts
The group plans to offer satellite connectivity directly on ordinary smartphones in 14 African countries, starting with rural areas of West and Central Africa.
- Airtel Africa and Starlink want to connect ordinary smartphones by satellite in 14 countries.
- Priority to rural West and Central Africa, where there are no masts.
- Vodacom and Safaricom are making different choices.
Airtel Africa has teamed up with Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite network, to offer a “direct-to-cell” connection: ordinary smartphones pick up the satellite signal where no ground mast exists. The launch is planned in 14 African countries, with priority given to rural areas of West and Central Africa.
The stakes are economic: building masts in sparsely populated or hard-to-reach areas is expensive, and returns there are low. Satellite does not replace the terrestrial network; it complements it for basic services.
Different strategies
Not all operators are making this choice. Vodacom uses Starlink to connect its masts and resell connectivity to businesses, rather than to connect phones directly. Safaricom, in Kenya, relies mainly on its terrestrial network, held back in rural areas by infrastructure costs, terrain and regulation.
- Airtel–Starlink Partnership Could Leapfrog Safaricom's Terrestrial Network, Inside Towers.
- Couverture réseau : Airtel Africa accélère sur le satellite avec Starlink Direct to Cell, Agence Ecofin.
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