• Starlink was introduced into the Kenyan market in July 2023.
• Safaricom and Starlink are set to face off in Kenya's competitive internet market as both companies expand their services to cater to the growing demand for high-speed connectivity.
Image: PCS
President William Ruto has defended his move to allow Elon Musk's satellite internet firm—Starlink to enter the Kenyan market.
The President said that the entrance of Starlink to the market has created competition in the country.
"I have my CEO for Safaricom here, sometimes he is not happy with me for bringing in some other characters like Elon Musk and others in the space," the President said.
"But you see, I keep encouraging Peter that competition helps you keep ahead, and he has been doing good; I must say he has upped his game, so we want to keep that space competitive."
The president was speaking at the Kenya Business and Investment Roundtable in New York.
Starlink was introduced into the Kenyan market in July 2023. It offers high speed and coverage to remote areas where local internet service providers may not reach.
Powered by SpaceX, Starlink uses a network of satellites in low Earth orbit to deliver high-speed internet with low latency, making it ideal for rural and underserved regions.
Safaricom has over the years been Kenya’s leading telecommunications provider.
Safaricom and Starlink are set to face off in Kenya's competitive internet market as both companies expand their services to cater to the growing demand for high-speed connectivity.
Safaricom has for the second time increased its data speeds in the wake of increasing competition.
In its latest move, Safaricom has increased internet speeds for its home and business customers to meet the growing needs of individual and enterprise customers.
For Home Fibre, Safaricom has also introduced a new ultra-fast 1000 Mbps (gigabit per second) Platinum plan that will now see businesses part with Sh20,000 monthly.
This is in response to internet speeds of up to 200 Mbps that Starlink has offered in the market for small businesses.
The telco says that this has made it the first to deliver Giga speeds for home internet in a bid to meet the needs of very heavy users seeking ultra-fast speeds, for example, gamers, content creators, and virtual reality applications, among others.
Safaricom is enhancing its fibre and mobile data services, including 4G and 5G, while Starlink, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is introducing satellite internet services to the region.
“Current customers will automatically be upgraded to the enhanced packages to enjoy the faster speeds,” Safaricom said in a statement.
“Additionally, to enhance the experience with your loved ones, Safaricom has launched the Family Share plan, an integrated solution that combines mobile voice, data, SMS, and home internet into a single plan.”