Airtel Africa and Starlink Launch Satellite to Phone Service in DRC
Airtel Africa and SpaceX's Starlink commercially launched a satellite-to-phone service in the Democratic Republic of Congo, allowing compatible Android smartphones to connect directly to satellites where terrestrial coverage is unavailable, supporting SMS and light-data applications including WhatsApp.
Airtel CEO Sunil Taldar said the service would expand across the company's 14 African markets pending regulatory approvals. Only about 30 percent of DRC's population used the internet in 2023, according to the International Telecommunication Union. Starlink has about 650 satellites equipped for direct mobile connections, according to Airtel.
- Kenyan Wall Street
Airtel CEO Sunil Taldar said the service would expand across the company's 14 African markets pending regulatory approvals. Only about 30 percent of DRC's population used the internet in 2023, according to the International Telecommunication Union. Starlink has about 650 satellites equipped for direct mobile connections, according to Airtel.
- Kenyan Wall Street