Today, Airtel Africa announced a partnership with SpaceX to offer its African customers Starlink’s high-speed internet services. At the moment, SpaceX has obtained the necessary licenses in nine of the fourteen countries that are part of Airtel Africa. The process of obtaining operating licenses for the remaining five nations is ongoing.
Through this partnership, Airtel Africa will improve its next-generation satellite connectivity services and increase connectivity for businesses, enterprises, and socioeconomic communities, including health facilities and schools, even in Africa’s most remote regions. Additionally, Airtel Africa will investigate using cellular backhauling to increase coverage in rural areas.
In addition to SpaceX’s potential to use and profit from Airtel’s ground network infrastructure and other capabilities in Africa, Airtel Africa and SpaceX will keep looking into new ways to advance digital inclusion on the continent.
Sunil Taldar, MD and CEO of Airtel Africa, stated: “We are steadfast in our resolve to improve the lives of Africans. This collaboration with SpaceX is an important step in showcasing our ongoing dedication to developing Africa’s digital economy through partnerships and strategic investments. Even in the most isolated and underserved regions of Africa, next-generation satellite connectivity will guarantee that every person, company, and community has dependable and reasonably priced voice and data connectivity.
“We are very excited to work with Airtel to bring the transformative benefits of Starlink to the African people in new and innovative ways,” stated Chad Gibbs, vice president of Starlink business operations at SpaceX. Starlink is accessible in over 20 African markets, and this partnership with Airtel demonstrates how, after obtaining a license, Starlink embraces the chance to collaborate with significant industry players to guarantee that the greatest number of people can take advantage of Starlink’s presence. It makes perfect business sense for us to collaborate with the Airtel team to enhance our direct offering throughout Africa, as they have been instrumental in the continent’s telecom history.
