Airtel Africa has entered into an agreement with SpaceX to roll out Starlink Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity across its 14 operating markets, including Nigeria, in a move that will extend mobile coverage to areas beyond the reach of terrestrial networks.

Under the partnership, Airtel Africa’s 174 million customers, including Airtel Nigeria where the operator is the number two mobile phone operator, with compatible smartphones are gaining access to mobile connectivity via Starlink in locations where conventional base stations are unavailable. The service will ride on Starlink’s low-earth orbit satellite constellation, which SpaceX is describing as the world’s largest provider of 4G connectivity by geographic reach.

The deal is positioning Airtel Africa as the first mobile network operator on the continent to offer Starlink Direct-to-Cell services. The solution, powered by about 650 satellites, is designed to complement existing terrestrial infrastructure, particularly in remote and hard-to-reach communities where deploying traditional network assets remains challenging.

CEO: Starlink deal to improve Airtel’s network reach

Sunil Taldar, Chief Executive Officer of Airtel Africa, says the initiative alignings with the company’s strategy to improve network reach and service reliability across its footprint.

“Airtel Africa remains committed to delivering a great experience to our customers by improving access to reliable and contiguous mobile connectivity solutions,” Taldar says. “Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell technology complements the terrestrial infrastructure and even reaches areas where deploying terrestrial network solutions is challenging. We are very excited about the collaboration with Starlink, which will establish a new standard for service availability across all our 14 markets.”

From Starlink’s perspective, the agreement highlights the growing role of satellite-to-mobile technology in expanding digital inclusion across Africa. Stephanie Bednarek, Starlink Vice President of Sales, says the partnership will enable people in previously unserved locations to stay connected and access essential digital services.

“For the first time, people across Africa will stay connected in remote areas where terrestrial coverage cannot reach, and we’re thrilled that Starlink Direct-to-Cell can power this life-changing service,” Bednarek says. “Through this agreement with Airtel Africa, we will also deliver our next-generation technology to offer high-speed broadband connectivity, enabling faster access to many essential services.”

Starlink first announced plans to launch direct-to-mobile internet services in October 2023. According to information published on the company’s website, the rollout begins with text messaging in 2024, while voice, data and Internet of Things services are expected to follow in 2025.

The company says it demonstrated early progress in January 2024, when its team successfully sent and received text messages using T-Mobile’s network spectrum through one of its newly launched Direct-to-Cell satellites.

Starlink says users will not need to change their devices when the service becomes commercially available, as it is designed to work with existing 4G-enabled smartphones.