Airtel has partnered with SpaceX to introduce Starlink's direct-to-cell satellite technology to all its 14 markets, including Kenya, signalling a shift in how mobile connectivity will reach remote and underserved areas.
The satellite-to-mobile service will begin across Africa in 2026, marking a departure from tower-based expansion of satellite-powered mobile coverage, allowing ordinary smartphones to connect directly to space when ground networks are unavailable.
The direct-to-cell service works by turning satellites into space-based mobile towers, allowing phones to connect in areas where terrestrial networks are absent or unreliable.
“In partnership with Airtel Africa, Starlink Direct to Cell will connect more than 170 million people in Africa across 14 countries, powering life-saving connectivity when it’s needed most,” said the American multinational on Wednesday.
“The service will begin by delivering data that enables voice, video and messaging, and will advance to providing high-speed broadband service to smartphones with 20x improved data speeds.”
While Starlink has already inked a deal with Safaricom to distribute its satellite services locally, the fresh deal with Airtel Africa reflects the US company’s need for a single operator with reach across multiple countries.
For Kenya, where terrain, distance and economics still leave large coverage gaps, the technological shift suggests looming mobile access without the cost and delays of rolling out new towers or fibre.
In the new service, each satellite carries an evolved Node B modem, known as an eNodeB, which is essentially the core radio equipment used in 4G networks to communicate directly with phones.
This means that the phone recognises the satellite as another mobile network, similar to roaming, rather than a specialised satellite system requiring custom devices.
Any standard 4G LTE smartphone can connect, provided the user can see the sky and their mobile operator has approved access to the satellite service.
Starlink says no changes to existing handsets, firmware updates, or special applications are required, lowering barriers to adoption across mass-market devices already in circulation.
Globally, Starlink positions Direct to Cell as the largest 4G coverage footprint on Earth, arguing that satellites can reach areas impossible or uneconomical for ground networks.
The company estimates that more than half of the world’s landmass remains uncovered by terrestrial mobile services, a gap it aims to narrow through satellite integration.
Starlink highlights disaster response as a core use case, citing successful emergency messaging during hurricanes, floods, and wildfires in the United States.
In one example, a road accident in a cellular dead zone was reported via satellite text messaging, enabling emergency responders to reach the scene within minutes. For Kenya, such capabilities could prove critical in remote regions, national parks, pastoral areas, and offshore waters where coverage gaps persist.
Other countries targeted in the Airtel Africa partnership include Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, Zambia, Malawi, and Chad.
The London Stock Exchange-listed telco also runs operations in Gabon, Niger, Congo (Brazzaville), Madagascar, Seychelles, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
For Airtel, the deal offers a way to extend coverage into sparsely populated or hard-to-reach regions without heavy capital investment in towers, fibre, and power infrastructure.
Direct-to-cell relies on partnerships with local operators, which provide licensed LTE spectrum that allows Starlink to integrate legally and technically into national networks.
This spectrum-sharing model means Starlink cannot operate independently, instead functioning like a roaming partner embedded within existing regulatory frameworks.
Starlink already operates in Kenya through its fixed satellite broadband service, which has gained popularity among households, businesses, and institutions outside fibre coverage.
The company has recently inked a partnership with Kenya’s leading mobile operator, Safaricom, enabling the latter to resell Starlink equipment and integrate satellite backhaul.
In the deal, Safaricom gains access to satellite-backed connectivity that expands rural coverage without undertaking costly fibre projects across low-density areas, while Starlink gains a distribution partner that stabilises its performance and prevents future congestion.
