LONDON, Dec 18 – Airtel Africa has entered into a partnership with SpaceX to deploy Starlink’s satellite direct-to-cell mobile service across all 14 African countries where the telecoms group operates, starting from 2026.
The London-listed company said the agreement will allow Airtel subscribers with compatible smartphones to connect directly to Starlink’s low Earth orbit satellites when they move beyond the reach of traditional mobile networks.
The initial phase of the rollout will support text messaging and limited data services for selected applications. Broader data capabilities are expected to be introduced as newer generations of Starlink satellites become available.
The partnership covers Airtel Africa’s entire operating footprint, including Kenya, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia, Malawi, Niger, Chad, Gabon, the Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Seychelles.
Airtel Africa serves more than 170 million customers across sub Saharan Africa. The company said the satellite-to-cell service is designed to complement existing mobile infrastructure rather than replace it, by filling coverage gaps in rural, remote and hard to reach areas where building and maintaining mobile towers is often not economically viable.
Under the agreement, Airtel will integrate Starlink’s direct-to-cell technology into its mobile network, enabling standard smartphones to roam onto satellite coverage without the need for specialised satellite hardware.
SpaceX has positioned the technology as a way to provide basic mobile connectivity during network outages and in regions with limited terrestrial infrastructure, supporting wider digital inclusion and resilience across emerging markets.
