Billionaire Elon Musk’s satellite internet service provider, Starlink, has suspended new subscriptions in Nairobi and surrounding areas such as Kiambu, Machakos, Narok, Murang’a and Nakuru regions thanks to a network capacity overload due to increased demand.
The American satellite service provider’s bandwidth could not support additional subscribers, pointing to an overwhelming demand for internet connection at low prices.
“Nairobi and neighbouring areas are currently at network capacity. This means that too many users are trying to access the Starlink service within Nairobi, and there isn’t enough bandwidth to support additional residential or roaming customers now,” Starlink says on its website when one attempts to purchase.
Starlink uses small satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) designed to carry large amounts of information rapidly to any point on earth, including over oceans and in extremely hard-to-reach places where fibre-optic cables are generally expensive to lay down.
Launched in Kenya in 2023, the tech company has seen an increase grown its userbase from 405 in March last year to 4,808 as at March 2024, reaching 8,063 users by June 2024 and representing a 0.5 per cent share of Kenya’s internet market. The growth is as a result of the demand for low-cost and reliable internet, fueled by promotions on kits and the introduction of more affordable monthly plans.
In August, it introduced a rental plan valued at Sh1,950 ($15.15) monthly for users who cannot afford its Sh45,000 ($350) hardware cost.
