Musk introduces cheaper, portable Starlink Mini in Kenya

Starlink

A Starlink satellite internet system is set up on a caravan truck of a tourist.

Photo credit: Reuters

American satellite Internet firm Starlink has introduced the cheaper and portable version of its installation package into the local market, slightly over a year after entry into Kenya.

In an X update on Thursday, Starlink said the package dubbed 'Starlink Mini' which was launched on June 21 this year is now available for purchase by Kenyan subscribers, adding that users will now have mobile access to the service.

"Starlink Mini is now Available in Kenya! Stay connected with high-speed internet at home or on the go," wrote the firm in the post.

A spot check on Starlink's official website shows that the hardware kit for the Mini package is priced at Sh27,000, substantially lower than the Sh45,500 asking price for the pre-existing standard package.

Apart from the variation in the hardware kit purchase price, the rest of the options for the monthly service fee remain unaltered, stagnating at Sh6,500 for residential subscription, Sh4,000 for residential lite (new offering for personal or household-use at a fixed, land-based location), and Sh1,300 for the limited 50 gigabytes (GB) package.

Unlike the standard kit whose ideal use case is in high-demand everyday internet applications, Starlink recommends that the mini kit will be ideal for basic internet needs.

"Starlink Mini is compact in size, portable, and recommended for basic internet applications. Starlink Mini kit covers up to 112 square meters and comes with everything you need to get online in minutes," writes the firm on its website.

"Its compact design and low power consumption make it ideal for fixed and portable use."

While the standard kit comes with a Wi-Fi router, the firm explains, the mini kit comes with integrated Wi-Fi in addition to a pipe adapter mount designed to attach to any existing pole with a diameter between 31 and 50 milimeters. 

Starlink Mini can connect up to 128 devices, compared to the standard kit which supports up to 235 devices and covers up to 297 square meters.

The new offering is the latest aggression effort by the Elon Musk-owned firm to tighten its grip on Kenya's Internet market that is currently under the control of Safaricom enjoying a 37.4 percent market share as of March this year according to regulatory data.

Starlink first established its presence in Kenya in July last year, with the installation kit at the time going for Sh89,000 in what proved a hard sell to the larger segment of the market.

In a bid to hasten its penetration, the multinational would later slash the price to the current Sh45,500 earlier this year in addition to other enticements including the introduction of the 50GB monthly package at Sh1,300 in June this year.

Last month, Starlink introduced a rental option for the hardware kit at a monthly rate of Sh1,950, effectively easing the pressure on users seeking short-term engagements with the service as they escape from incurring the Sh45,500 kit purchase cost.

The relentless push to seize the market has seen other players take concern, with the country's leading telco Safaricom this week moving to improve its fibre internet speeds by up to five times in efforts to protect revenues and guard its customer base.

Last month, the telco authored a protest letter addressed to the industry regulator in a bid to review the policy to grant licences to independent satellite internet providers.

In its petition, the market leader argued that indiscriminate permit approvals to such firms could give rise to illegal connections as well as harmful interference to mobile networks.

The Musk-owned firm however seems to enjoy State backing after President William Ruto this week told a US-Kenya Business and Investment Roundtable that Starlink's entry into the country is in line with the government's policy of deepening internet connectivity.

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