Starlink’s Reach in Lesotho Extends to Police and Disaster Management
Starlink is now providing connectivity to 25 police stations, traffic systems, and disaster management teams in Lesotho, expanding connectivity to emergency services in the country.
Starlink launched in Lesotho in June 2025 after the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) granted it a 10-year operating licence. The company’s entry into the market required significant regulatory adjustments. The LCA restructured its licensing framework to accommodate low-earth orbit satellite technology, culminating in a revised policy gazetted on 31 January 2025. This enabled Starlink Lesotho (Pty) Ltd, the local entity under which SpaceX operates, to secure a Network Service Licence, permitting it to offer high-speed internet to individuals and businesses nationwide.
To distribute its dishes and services in the country, Starlink has partnered with a company called T-Connect Lesotho. The firm is chaired by Mr Nolo Letele, the former executive chairman of MultiChoice, credited with driving the company’s expansion beyond South Africa. While Starlink mostly handles billing and technical support for its residential packages directly with customers, it relies on resellers such as T-Connect for kit distribution and certain specialised business offerings.
Service Performance and Pricing
The service supports download speeds between 135 Mbps and 305 Mbps, upload speeds between 20 Mbps and 40 Mbps, and latency ranging from 23 ms to 26ms. While fibre can reach considerably higher speeds with lower latency, Starlink does not require extensive trenching infrastructure to the customer’s premises, making it a more practical option in many parts of Lesotho.
Starlink’s standard hardware kit costs ZAR 7,400 (USD 444.70), with a residential monthly subscription fee of ZAR 950 (USD 57.09). Additionally, the Starlink Minikit is available nationwide for ZAR 3,800 (USD 228.36).
Lesotho’s Place in the Regional Starlink Footprint
Lesotho is among the five of South Africa’s neighbours that have approved Starlink, alongside Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, and Zimbabwe.
Connectivity in Context
According to DataReportal, a total of 2.20 million cellular mobile connections were active in Lesotho by the end of 2025, representing 92.7% of the population. There were 1.14 million individuals using the internet in the country at the end of 2025, with online penetration standing at 48.0%.