Airtel teams up with Starlink to roll out direct-to-cell connectivity

Airtel Africa has struck a landmark deal with SpaceX’s Starlink to roll out Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity across 14 African markets, allowing millions of customers to access mobile services in areas where traditional network towers cannot reach.

By Nhlanhla Muthe

Airtel Africa has partnered with SpaceX’s Starlink to roll out Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity across 14 African markets, aiming to connect millions of customers in remote and underserved areas.

Airtel Africa has announced a groundbreaking partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink to roll out Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity across all its 14 African markets, covering a customer base of 174 million people.

For millions of Africans who live beyond the reach of mobile towers, losing signal has long meant losing access to markets, healthcare, education and emergency services. That reality could soon begin to change.

Under the agreement, Airtel Africa customers with compatible smartphones will be able to access mobile connectivity in areas with no terrestrial network coverage, using Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellites.

Airtel Africa Managing Director and CEO Sunil Taldar, underlined that the service is scheduled to launch in 2026, starting with text messaging and data for select applications, before expanding to higher-speed broadband as next-generation satellites come online.

“Airtel Africa remains committed to delivering a great experience to our customers by improving access to reliable and contiguous mobile connectivity solutions. Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell technology complements terrestrial infrastructure and reaches areas where deploying mobile networks is extremely challenging. This collaboration will establish a new standard for service availability across all our markets,” he said.

Airtel Africa becomes the first mobile network operator on the continent to offer Starlink Direct-to-Cell services, powered by a constellation of around 650 satellites acting as “cell towers in the sky.”

Starlink Vice President of Sales Stephanie Bednarek said its upcoming satellites will deliver up to 20 times faster data speeds, unlocking broader smartphone-based internet access without the need for new ground infrastructure.

“For the first time, people across Africa will stay connected in remote areas where terrestrial coverage cannot reach. This life-changing service will also provide high-speed broadband connectivity, offering faster access to many essential services,” she stated.

The significance for Africa is profound. Vast rural regions, from deserts and islands to forested and mountainous areas, have remained digitally isolated due to the high cost of building towers and fibre networks. Satellite-to-mobile technology offers a faster, more cost-effective way to close those gaps, accelerating digital inclusion, disaster resilience and economic participation.

Airtel Africa board member Jacques Barkhuizen described the deal as “a landmark moment for connectivity on the continent,” noting that it positions Africa “at the forefront of next-generation satellite-to-mobile connectivity globally.”

As regulators review approvals country by country, the partnership signals a future where African connectivity is no longer limited by geography, reshaping how the continent works, trades and connects to the world.