We Need To Talk About Starlink In Kenya — What Happened After the Hype, The Ads, & The Expected Internet Services Market Disruption?
Today — 16th June 2025 — is the last day to claim Starlink’s latest promotional. offer: 1-month free Residential Lite service (valued at KES 4,000). The screenshots shared here tell it all — from aggressive ad placements on Twitter/X to bold promises of speeds over 330+ Mbps, and simplified pricing options like Residential Lite (KES 4,000/month), full Residential (KES 6,500/month), and even entry-level 50GB plans at KES 1,300.
But beyond the latest bright and shiny offer, let’s ask the real question:
Does Starlink still matter in Kenya?
When it launched in July 2023, expectations were star high (pun intended). Starlink was seen as a radical disruptor to Kenya’s internet landscape — and I was one of the first people to test and review it locally. My initial experience was frustrating — plagued by signal dropouts and latency in Nairobi. But over time, I realized the issue wasn’t the technology but rather signal obstructions from trees and buildings where I live.
Since then, I’ve used Starlink in various parts of Kenya and especially those that are upcountry — and the difference is night and day. In the right environment, Starlink is exceptional. Fast, stable, and reliable. The Starlink Mini in particular — with its low power consumption (25–40W), portability, and built-in router — is a game changer for off-grid use. The Standard Actuated Gen 2 dish, on the other hand, works brilliantly for larger households and businesses needing more device support and stability on a fixed internet location basis.
All this being said — here we are, almost 2 years later — and after all the dust has settled, it feels like business as usual in Kenya’s internet market.
Why? Because ISPs like Safaricom, Faiba, and Zuku responded aggressively:
- Faster fiber speeds (including Kenya’s first gigabit home internet)
- Better 4G & 5G mobile internet bundles
- Competitive pricing, broader coverage, and bundle innovation
In fact, Starlink’s availability is now limited in places like Nairobi. I couldn’t even redeem the current promotion for my own area when I checked to see if its available. So why are they targeting Nairobi with ads when many residents can’t even use the service?
The numbers speak volumes according to the Communications Authority of Kenya’s latest Sector Statistics for the period Q2 2024–2025 for fixed internet subscribers:
- Starlink — 19,146
- Safaricom — 621,149
- Faiba — 405,646
- Zuku — 264,206
So yes, Starlink did shake things up. But it didn’t dethrone the incumbents. Instead, it’s carved out a specific — and important — role: providing fast, reliable, and even portable Internet via Starlink Mini is concerned where Kenya’s fiber, wireless and mobile networks haven’t reached.