Airtel Africa has officially activated satellite-to-mobile connectivity in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The announcement, made in Kinshasa on August 14, 2026, marks a major milestone, as the technology has moved from the pilot stage to full commercial rollout in Africa, according to telecom reports across the continent. Through its partnership with SpaceX, Airtel has consequently positioned the DRC as the first market within the Airtel Africa group to offer direct satellite-backed mobile services to customers.
With the new service, subscribers with compatible smartphones can connect directly to Starlink’s satellite network in areas without traditional mobile coverage, provided they have a clear line of sight to the sky. Importantly, customers do not need a satellite dish, separate terminal, or specialised equipment to access the service.
To access the service, customers need a compatible LTE Android smartphone and either an active Airtel DRC data plan or data roaming enabled. Eligible users can register through the MyAirtel App for a complimentary 30-day trial. After the trial period, users will transition to paid data bundles. Meanwhile, support for Apple devices is expected to be introduced later. SpaceX says the service is already compatible with more than 100 smartphone models.
The development, however, follows several months of preparation and testing. Airtel Africa and Starlink first announced their strategic partnership in December 2025. Subsequently, the companies conducted a pilot of Starlink Mobile’s data and messaging services in Kenya in March 2026. Unlike the DRC rollout, the Kenyan deployment remained a technical test and was not commercially available to customers. Now, the DRC has become the market where that groundwork has evolved into a commercially available product, making it the first commercial launch of the initiative within Airtel Africa’s markets.
Thierry Diasnoma Airtel DRC Managing Director, highlighted the country’s vast size and challenging geography as a key drive to extending conventional telecommunications infrastructure to remote communities. “The commercial launch of Starlink Mobile is an important step in extending essential connectivity across the DRC,” Diasnoma said. “Our country’s size and geography mean that many people live, work and travel beyond the reach of conventional mobile infrastructure.” In a separate statement, he added: “This service provides an additional layer of connectivity, helping customers remain reachable, informed and connected even in areas where terrestrial coverage is unavailable.”
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Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar framed the launch as a company-wide milestone rather than a DRC-only story, tying it to the broader strategic bet on pairing ground infrastructure with satellite coverage. “The first-ever commercial launch of Starlink Mobile in Africa is a significant milestone for Airtel Africa through our partnership with SpaceX,” Taldar said. “By combining Airtel’s terrestrial network with Starlink’s satellite technology, we are extending essential connectivity beyond the limits of conventional mobile infrastructure. The DRC is leading this important development, and the experience gained here will support the progressive expansion of the service across our markets, subject to country-specific regulatory approvals.”
Airtel noted that the service will be particularly valuable for transport and logistics companies, humanitarian agencies, healthcare workers, agricultural communities, mining operations, and populations in areas underserved by traditional networks. It will also function as a critical backup communications channel during emergencies, natural disasters, or outages affecting terrestrial infrastructure.
For now, the DRC is the only Airtel Africa market where the service is commercially live. Kenya remains the only other country involved, and only through a pilot phase. Airtel Africa has indicated that the DRC rollout could serve as a model for expanding the service across its 14 markets in sub-Saharan Africa. However, any expansion will depend on country-specific regulatory approvals, and the company has not yet announced the next market or a specific timeline.
Separately, Starlink holds its own telecommunications license in the DRC, issued by the Congolese Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ARPTC) to Starlink DRC S.A. This license authorizes Starlink to operate as an independent internet service provider, offering dish-based broadband services — distinct from the Airtel-branded satellite-to-mobile offering. This ISP service has been available in the DRC since approximately December 2025, marking Starlink’s 22nd African market for its standalone broadband business.
