Elon Musk’s Starlink gained 2,045 subscribers in Kenya during the July-September quarter, lifting its total to a record 19,470 and ending a nine-month slump triggered by network capacity problems, official data showed Monday.
The rebound allowed Starlink to surpass its previous high of 19,146 customers reached in December 2024, according to the latest report from the Communications Authority of Kenya.
Despite the growth — the strongest quarterly gain since January — Starlink’s share of the country’s fixed-internet market remained unchanged at 0.8%, tying it with smaller player Vijiji Connect.
Market leader Safaricom widens lead
Kenya’s overall fixed-internet subscriptions rose by 147,150 to 2.29 million in the quarter. Market leader Safaricom captured more than half of the new customers, adding 79,288 subscriptions and increasing its share to 35.6% from 34.3%.
Other local providers including Jamii Telecommunications’ Faiba brand, Ahadi Wireless, Vilcom Networks and Mawingu also posted solid gains, squeezing Starlink’s position.
From rapid rise to capacity crunch
Starlink launched in Kenya in July 2023 and quickly climbed to a 1.1% market share by late 2024. But explosive early growth overwhelmed satellite capacity, forcing the company to halt new sign-ups in November 2024 across several African countries, including Kenya, Nigeria and South Sudan.
Internet speeds in Kenya fell from more than 200 megabits per second to around 45 Mbps, prompting customer defections. Starlink lost more than 2,000 users in the January-March quarter and saw its market share slip to 0.9%, then to 0.8% by June despite a small recovery of about 400 subscribers.
Mixed signals in satellite segment
The satellite-internet niche has grown dramatically in Kenya, from just 730 subscriptions in 2022 to more than 19,000 by late 2024, almost entirely driven by Starlink.
In a twist, Safaricom — Kenya’s dominant telecom operator — has become an official Starlink reseller, giving the U.S. company indirect access to the giant’s nationwide retail and distribution network while allowing Safaricom to offer satellite service in areas beyond its fiber and 5G coverage.
Industry watchers say Starlink’s recovery shows continued demand in rural and remote regions where traditional infrastructure is scarce. However, its high upfront hardware cost of around $499 and $49 monthly fee remain barriers in urban areas, where cheaper 5G fixed-wireless plans from local operators are gaining ground.
The latest figures suggest Starlink has stabilized after resolving some capacity bottlenecks, but reclaiming lost market share will require sharper pricing or further network upgrades in a market where competition is intensifying.
