Elon Musk Slashes Starlink Internet Subscription for Kenyan Users, See New Cost

• Elon Musk's satellite internet company Starlink hopes to provide stiff competition to Safaricom and other internet service providers in Kenya
• The company reduced its installation costs from KSh 89,000 to KSh 39,500, with the offer running for 75 days
• Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, offers high-speed broadband to remote areas and entered the Kenyan market in July 2023

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Global internet service provider Starlink has reduced its monthly subscription for Kenyan users.

Elon Musk has cut monthly internet subscription costs for Kenyans. Photo: People Images. Source: Getty Images

With the launch of a new, cheaper data plan for Kenya, Elon Musk's satellite internet company has opened up competition against Safaricom and Airtel, which now have a significant market share.

A 50 gigabyte (GB) monthly data bundle from Starlink costs KSh 1,300, less than half of Airtel's data plan for the same package (KSh 3,000). Safaricom's monthly package of 45GB costs KSh 2,500.

"Affordable, high-speed internet with 50GB of data included for KSh 1,300/month (opt-in for additional data at KSh 20/GB). Now accepting Mobile Money (M-Pesa, Airtel)," Starlink stated on its website.

What are Starlink's installation costs?

Kenyan customers will purchase hardware equipment from Elon Musk's Starlink internet firm at KSh 39,500, down from KSh 89,000.

Before the fees were reduced, Kenyans paid the highest charges in Africa to set up Starlink, while Mozambicans paid the second-highest charges.

The fees cover hardware kits, including a Starlink dish, a mounting stand, cables and a power source.

Starlink, a subsidiary of SpaceX, noted it offers high internet speeds of up to 180 Megabits Per Second (Mbps).

When did Starlink enter the Kenyan market?

The internet service provider that offers high-speed broadband to remote areas entered the Kenyan market in July 2023.

It uses satellite to send internet connectivity signals to users instead of standard broadband, which uses optic fibre and copper cables.

The company aims to connect many people worldwide in remote areas that traditional Internet service providers have not covered.

Which Kenyan supermarket sells Starlink?

Naivas Supermarket retailed the kit at a discounted offer of more than half the price of the kit in its select Nairobi branches.

The stores include Naivas Capital Centre, Prestige, Ojijo Road and Mountain Mall.

Naivas urged customers to hurry and buy the kit to save up to KSh 49,500.