Kenyans can now rent Starlink kits for $15 per month

SpaceX's satellite Internet service, Starlink, has launched a rental option allowing Kenyans to get its kits for 1,950 Kenyan Shillings (US$15) per month.

The company said users interested in renting the Starlink kit, which costs KES45,000 ($350), will pay a one-time activation fee of KES2,700 ($21).

The monthly rental options are separate from the monthly Internet service plans for users that own their Starlink kits.

They can choose between a 50GB plan for KES1,300 ($10) or an unlimited package for KES6,500 ($50). Both plans offer speeds of up to 200 Mbit/s.

This is not the first time that Elon Musk's broadband service company has offered reduced rates to Kenyan users. In June, the Internet service introduced a monthly budget package of KES 1,300 ($10).

Starlink's growth in Kenya

Starlink has grown tremendously since its launch in July 2023 in the East African country, according to Kenya's Communications Authority (CA). The Internet service provider (ISP) competes with players like Skynet and NTvsat.

"The launch of Starlink's Internet services in the country played a major role in driving the uptake of broadband services. Generally, the sector is expected to keep growing following the roll out of new technologies and services," a CA report said.

Kenyan users interested in renting the Starlink kit, which costs KES45,000 ($350), will pay a one-time activation fee of KES2,700 ($21). (Source: Starlink's website)

Starlink also pushed other companies to compete for their share of the pie. For example, Safaricom, which had 522,000 fixed data subscriptions as of March 2024, started offering 5G routers to appeal to customers outside its fiber network coverage.

Starlink's contentious relationship with Africa

Starlink has made tremendous progress on the African continent. Just last week the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) released a draft proposal to regulate satellite companies like Starlink.

That announcement is huge considering that in November 2023, ICASA cautioned companies against importing and selling Starlink terminals in South Africa, calling the practice illegal and threatening fines.

However, it seems that when Starlink is making inroads in one country, it takes a step back in another.

In April, Cameroonian authorities reportedly banned the import of Starlink satellite Internet kits into the central African country and started seizing the equipment at the border.

The company reportedly disconnected users in unauthorized zones like South Africa in February.

Although it has hit pitfalls in some places, the company is already operating and licensed in several African countries including Benin, Nigeria, Rwanda, Malawi, Mozambique as well as Zambia.

As the company continues to spread across Africa, it will be interesting to see which other countries it will introduce rental kits to.

— Matshepo Sehloho, Associate Editor, Connecting Africa