Airtel Africa has partnered with SpaceX's Starlink to bring Direct-to-Cell satellite connectivity to its 174 million customers across 14 African countries, including Kenya. This collaboration aims to bridge coverage gaps in areas where traditional terrestrial infrastructure is lacking, with service rollout expected to begin in 2026.

• The service will initially support data for select applications and text messaging, with a future goal of providing high-speed broadband.
• Airtel Africa is the first mobile network operator in Africa to leverage Starlink's low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation for this purpose.
• The partnership positions Airtel to challenge Safaricom's dominance in Kenya by offering connectivity in remote areas without significant investment in new towers.