Starlink’s Kenya User Base Hits New Record as Urban Sign-Ups Resume

The renewed momentum confirms the strong appetite for satellite broadband across the country, while also underscoring the technical limits Starlink still faces in dense urban zones, limits that have helped competitors like Safaricom strengthen their lead in the fixed-internet space.

A Rapid Early Rise Before Capacity Pressure Halted Growth

Since launching commercially in June 2023, Starlink quickly carved out a foothold in the Kenyan market. Within six months, it had already secured 0.5% of the fixed-internet market, according to the Communications Authority of Kenya.

By late 2024, the service had recorded steady growth: September 2024: 16,786 users; December 2024: 19,146 users

But the momentum didn’t last. Demand in major cities surged past what the network could comfortably handle. As performance risks grew, Starlink suspended new residential sign-ups in December 2024, a freeze that remained in effect until June 2025.

During this period, active user numbers fell to 17,066 by March.

READ MORE: Starlink Becomes World’s Largest 4G Network Provider

Urban Density Stretched Starlink’s Capacity

Starlink continued serving rural and peri-urban communities without serious issues, but large towns — including Nairobi and Mombasa pushed the system close to saturation. The pause made clear that Kenya’s most crowded markets required more capacity than Starlink could support at the time.

That slowdown created an opening for terrestrial competitors to expand aggressively.

Competitors Move In With Cheaper Home 5G Solutions

While Starlink was locked out of onboarding new urban users, both Airtel Kenya and Safaricom rapidly promoted their home 5G routers, priced from KES 3,000 ($23). They targeted rural households that lacked fibre alternatives, the same audience Starlink had been serving successfully before the freeze.

Safaricom benefited most from this shift. By September 2025, it reached 815,037 fixed-internet connections and a 35.6% market share

Its extensive last-mile infrastructure and locally tailored plans helped reinforce its dominance while Starlink worked through its congestion challenges.

Once residential registration resumed in June 2025, Starlink’s subscriber base began growing again: June 2025: 17,425 active users; September 2025: 19,470 active users

The rebound reflects consistent demand for high-performance satellite internet, particularly in regions with limited fibre deployment.

Starlink’s Next Phase Depends on Capacity Upgrades and Competitive Pricing

Starlink’s outlook in Kenya now hinges on its ability to expand capacity and manage traffic more effectively in major towns  the very issue that forced the earlier freeze. Without stronger infrastructure in these dense areas, future growth could face similar bottlenecks.

Pricing is another major hurdle. The entry-level Starlink Mini, priced at KES 27,000 ($208), sits far above the cost of home routers offered by Safaricom and Airtel, making it less accessible to many potential users.

For now, Starlink remains most compelling in areas where fibre networks do not reach. But to challenge Kenya’s fixed-internet leaders at scale, it will need sustained investment in capacity, better load balancing, a stronger retail presence, and more competitive hardware pricing.