Starlink’s Nairobi Service Overwhelmed, New Users Locked Out
Following a network overload, Starlink has suspended new internet service subscriptions in Nairobi and the surrounding areas.
This comes after a number of users in the greater Nairobi metropolitan area complained about the company’s failure to provide residential, business, and ROAM services.
In response, the tech company, founded by the world’s richest person, Elon Musk, stated that it was overburdened with users and bandwidth and could not accommodate any additional customers.
“Nairobi and neighbouring areas are currently at network capacity,” the company’s statement read in part.
“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 at this time.”
Starlink directed users to its official websites to check the availability of residential services in their area. However, the mapping shows that the Nairobi metropolis has sold out.
“No roaming plans are available in Kenya at this time. Starlink is working to restore service in the disrupted areas and a notification will be sent once the residential plan is back,” Starlink added.
Thika, Kajiado, Kiambu, Murang’a, Naivasha, Ngong, Machakos, and Narok have also been affected. In total, seven counties were impacted.
The company also stated that the affordable packages were out of stock, and only those costing more than Ksh130,000 per month were available.
Starlink is now available in Kenya 🛰️🇰🇪 → https://t.co/6CoOHINioP pic.twitter.com/NlfDryZ8mA
— Starlink (@Starlink) July 18, 2023
Starlink entered the Kenyan market in July 2023, promising low-cost internet connections, which sparked market backlash.
Despite this, Starlink’s popularity has grown significantly. This is due to its ability to support services in areas that terrestrial solutions cannot reach, such as Kenya’s north-east.
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Due to the high cost of the kit, the company launched a rental service of the Starlink kit for Ksh1,950 per month or purchase the kit at Ksh45,500.
According to data from Kenya’s Communications Authority (CA), Starlink has over 8,000 customers in Kenya as of June 30, 2024, accounting for 0.5% of the market.
Starlink Mini is now available in Kenya!
— Starlink (@Starlink) September 25, 2024
Stay connected with high-speed internet at home or on the go 🐝 pic.twitter.com/KQHG6Cr4uF
As of August 2024, the monthly package for unlimited high-speed, low-latency internet data for residential homes in Kenya costs Ksh6,500.
The roaming package costs Ksh14,000 per month and includes unlimited mobile data inland, portability, and Pause Service.
Starlink’s Nairobi Service Overwhelmed, New Users Locked Out
