Starlink Ends Roaming Service Across Africa

Starlink made a notable entry into Kenya and the broader African satellite internet space, but their roaming plan has quietly disappeared, removed without announcement. Currently, Starlink is only available in a few African countries, including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Sudan, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, where they have received regulatory clearance.

Previously, before official licensing, users would buy Starlink kits in countries with authorization, subscribe to the roaming plan, and use the service in unlicensed regions. Recently, Zimbabwe received regulatory clearance for Starlink, and existing users who had purchased kits through unofficial channels were given a 60-day grace period to re-register with local telecoms in Harare or face disconnection. Reports indicate that at least 5,000 accounts in Zimbabwe were using Starlink’s roaming plan prior to local licensing.

Starlink often changes its policies, and even those who subscribed to the roaming plan legally may simply receive a refund. Initially, the roaming plan cost $40, but Starlink later raised the price to $100 – around KES 14,000 – which roaming users in Kenya paid.

As a Starlink user, I find this change introduces significant challenges for consumers who rely on roaming due to frequent travel. Moving with the dish is now nearly impossible, as the initial affordable plan is geo-locked to a single location. The alternative, the global roaming plan, is considerably more expensive at KES 64,000 per month.

Phasing out the roaming plan forces consumers to rely on existing ISPs in their countries, often with slower speeds. Starlink has been widely embraced, with recent additions like the Starlink Mini, an affordable model that has been well-received in the market. What can we learn from this? African countries should prioritize licensing Starlink in their jurisdictions to expand internet options for consumers across the continent.