Airtel, Starlink launch satellite-to-phone service in DRC, first in Africa

Airtel Africa and Starlink have introduced a groundbreaking satellite-to-mobile connectivity service in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), heralding the inaugural commercial deployment of such a service across Africa. This groundbreaking offering empowers Airtel customers who possess compatible smartphones to gain mobile access in regions bereft of conventional terrestrial network coverage, provided they possess a clear line of sight to the sky.

Airtel Africa revealed that Starlink’s constellation currently encompasses 650 launched satellites, exclusively tailored to facilitate light data applications, encompassing WhatsApp messaging and SMS. Remarkably, customers are spared the need for specialized equipment or a distinct device to access this service.

The commercial launch of this service follows the strategic partnership between Airtel Africa and Starlink, which was announced in December 2025, and the successful trial of Starlink Mobile data and messaging services in Kenya in March 2026. Airtel Africa's CEO, Sunil Taldar, hailed this commercial deployment as a pivotal milestone in the company’s collaboration with SpaceX.

He emphasized that the fusion of Airtel's terrestrial network with Starlink’s satellite technology would transcend the limitations inherent in conventional mobile infrastructure.

Toward this end, the DRC deployment will furnish invaluable experience that could underpin the gradual expansion of the service across Airtel Africa’s other markets, contingent upon country-specific regulatory clearances. Managing Director of Airtel DRC, Theirry Diasnoma, echoed this sentiment, highlighting the service's potential to tackle connectivity challenges arising from the country's expansive geography and challenging terrain.

He underscored that satellite connectivity serves as an invaluable supplement, enabling customers to maintain connectivity in areas devoid of terrestrial coverage.

The service is strategically targeted at areas beyond the reach of traditional terrestrial networks. To access the service, DRC customers must utilize a compatible LTE Android smartphone and either an active Airtel DRC data bundle or enable data roaming. Airtel Africa and SpaceX signed a pact to roll out Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet services across the African continent last year.

At the time, both parties disclosed that SpaceX had secured operating licenses in nine of the 14 African countries where Airtel operates, including Nigeria, with licensing for the remaining five nations currently in progress.

Interestingly, MTN Group has also indicated its interest in collaborating with satellite service providers like Starlink to broaden its services into remote areas within its operational markets. Simultaneously, the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) is actively advocating for the adoption of Satellite Direct-to-Device (D2D) connectivity as a solution to persistent coverage gaps affecting an estimated 23.3 million Nigerians who remain underserved by mobile networks.

The NCC's interest in D2D services stems from evidence presented in national connectivity assessments, evolving technological trends, and the intrinsic limitations of relying solely on terrestrial infrastructure to achieve universal access.