The hype around SpaceX’s Starlink is signaling the beginning of a period of significant growth for several low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite Internet providers coming to Zimbabwe. However, while Starlink has not yet been officially licensed by the Posts and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (Potraz), it is reportedly in talks with one of the country’s local ISPs to partner on a service that could be available before end of year.
Unlike other ISPs in Zimbabwe, Starlink does not yet have the necessary communications or spectrum licenses from Potraz.
In the meantime, Starlink customers in Zimbabwe can still access the service through a global roaming feature that was launched earlier this year. This feature allows Starlink customers to use their kits in any country where the service is available, including Zimbabwe.
One local ISP that has started importing and distributing Starlink kits on behalf of its customers recently told Techunzipped that the service was a game-changer for those in rural areas where cellular towers had limited or no backup.
“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback from our customers in rural areas,” said the company’s spokesperson. “They’re telling us that Starlink is the first reliable Internet service they’ve ever had.”
The spokesperson added that the ISP is currently working to expand its Starlink distribution network to reach more customers in remote areas.
While the public’s attention has been keenly focused on Starlink, it will not be the only service of its kind within the next two to three years. Several other LEO satellite Internet providers are also planning to launch services in Zimbabwe, including OneWeb, Amazon Kuiper, and Telesat.
This competition is expected to drive down prices and improve service quality for Zimbabwean consumers. As a result, Zimbabwe is poised to become one of the leading markets for LEO satellite Internet in Africa.
