Starlink Kenya Rises to Seventh-Largest ISP With 19,146 Subscribers

Starlink Internet Services Kenya is now the country’s seventh-largest Internet Service Provider (ISP), with 19,146 subscribers as of December 2024, according to the latest Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK) data. This marks a 14% increase in subscribers from just three months earlier, in September 2024. Since entering the Kenyan market in July 2023, Starlink has maintained an average growth rate of 90%, making it the fastest-growing ISP in the country. Despite its smaller subscriber base compared to established broadband providers, its rapid expansion highlights its growing market presence and solidifies its position as a dynamic player in Africa’s internet landscape.

This development marks Starlink’s second entry into the country’s top ten ISPs by subscriber count, displacing players such as Liquid Telecommunications Kenya and Dimension Data. Over the past six months, Starlink has gained 11,083 new subscribers, achieving a remarkable 137.45% growth in under a year. Its market share now stands at 1.1%, trailing industry leaders such as Safaricom (36.1%) and Jamii Telecommunications (23.6%), which collectively added 66,344 subscribers in just three months. However, analysis indicates that both leading ISPs have dropped in their market share compared to Starlink. This signals that subscribers from leading ISPs are shifting to satellite-based connectivity services that provide high-speed and reliable internet. 

Starlink Market Dynamics

The CAK also announced in its Audience Measurement and Industry Trends report that during the same period, there has been an increase in Internet users in urban areas. Furthermore, this has been attributed to well-established internet infrastructure, which features a comprehensive coverage of high-speed broadband and cellular connectivity. Urban areas have also been noted to be better resourced, thus facilitating greater internet penetration. This closely mirrors Starlink’s rapid adoption in Nairobi and its surrounding areas, which has resulted in the selling out its terminals in these areas. 

In an interview, Lauren Dreyer, Vice President of Starlink Business Operations, noted that this trend has been observed and shared that launching new Starlink satellites to add capacity will address the issue. This limitation has impacted Starlink’s rapid growth rate in the country, with an observed decline in its quarterly subscriber growth rate from September to December 2024 by 72.9%. This, however, has not been due to reduced demand but rather limited activations and new sign-ups.

Additionally, to address these challenges, Starlink has recently activated a Point of Presence in Kenya, which has already shown positive results. Global Starlink customer latency has been reduced from 57ms to 44ms. Kenyan customers report latency drops from 120ms to as low as 26ms. The company also plans to establish ground infrastructure in strategic locations like Mozambique and Botswana. Such developments are expected to improve internet service quality and enhance customer experience and consistency. 

Kenya’s Proposed Satellite Licensing Framework

This follows CAK’s proposal to significantly increase licensing costs for ISPs like Starlink. Under the new proposal, a 15-year operating license would rise from USD 12,302 (KSH 1,579,614) to USD 115,331 (KSH 14,808,846), an increase of nearly 1,000%. Additionally, providers would be required to pay an annual fee of 0.4% of their total revenue. These changes reflect the evolving satellite internet landscape in Kenya and Africa, and Starlink remains committed to ensuring universal access to its high-speed internet services through its LEO constellations.