Starlink, a satellite network meant to provide internet access in remote locations around the world, is now accessible in Kenya.
The network is developed and owned by SpaceX, the American private company that designs and develops rockets and other spacecraft and is associated with entrepreneur Elon Musk.
According to Starlink, those interested in accessing its satellite-powered internet in the country can do so upon successfully signing up for the service and paying the necessary fees.
Interested customers can sign up for Starlink on the Starlink website.
Early adopters who had signed up for the service and put down the mandatory (but fully refundable) USD 99 deposit have been receiving notifications of the service’s imminent rollout in the East African country. The deposit goes towards the final total cost of the service which includes the equipment and shipping. These total to about Kshs 92,100, at the time of publishing this article (Kshs 89,000 for the hardware and Kshs 3,100 for the shipping and handling).
There is also a recurring Kshs 6,500 monthly charge, the cost of the Starlink subscription, that one can expect to pay in the first and subsequent months, for as long as they are using the service. The costs may change in the future/by the time you get to read this due to other factors including the currency exchange rate.
The equipment in question is a small Starlink dish, a base for it to be mounted/stand on (pictured above), cables to run to it from the router and the power source and the router itself. The setup process involves finding a suitable place for the dish, devoid of any obstructions and setting up the connection through a smartphone app available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.
When one tries to sign up at this time, they are notified that they can expect their order to ship within a 2-3 week period. As can be expected, with Starlink’s availability in Kenya official, no deposits are being requested. One has to pay the full Kshs 92,100 upfront.
At this point in time, prospective subscribers are being notified of the service’s intermittent availability which sees it not yet available for high volume and heavy usage as well as limited to no availability in remote areas.
“You can expect Starlink’s typical high speed internet with brief periods of intermittent service and high latency. Users will be able to engage in common internet activity like email, online shopping, or streaming a movie, but they won’t be able to engage in activities like online gaming or video calls. Service will improve dramatically over the next year,” the notification reads.
Starlink speeds range from 25 to 100 Mbps (downlink) and 5 to 10 Mbps (uplink) for those who subscribe to the standard tier and up to 220 Mbps (downlink) and 25 Mbps (uplink) for those on the priority tier. The speeds drop down significantly for subscribers on Starlink’s mobility subscription package suitable for cars and the like.
In normal circumstances, Starlink’s latency varies from 25 to 60 milliseconds and goes all the way up to 99 milliseconds when used on mobile equipment.
According to a recent report from network intelligence company Ookla, Starlink’s median download speed was about 65 Mbps in several countries where the service is available, including in Nigeria where it has become available recently.
A Kenyan company, Karibu Connect, has announced that it has been authorized by Starlink to resell its services in the country.
“Karibu Connect will extend Starlink’s high-speed low-latency connectivity to diverse sectors in rural Kenya including small businesses, industry, telecommunications, multi-dwelling units, education, tourism and hospitality, maritime and government organizations. Karibu Connect is offering Starlink enterprise services for both fixed and mobile applications including vehicle-mounted solutions for use on the go or on boats and ships operating both inland and offshore,” a statement from the company reads.
