Starlink in Zimbabwe sells out as demand overwhelms supply

Alois Kachere decided to order a Starlink kit after the company launched in Zimbabwe in September, hoping to be the first in his community to get a high-speed internet terminal.

But others beat him to it: “Starlink is fully loaded in your area,” he read on the website. Starlink kits in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, where Kachere lives, have sold out. Due to high demand, Starlink has also sold out in other African countries, including major African cities. Nigeria and some counties In Kenya.

Kacher, a network engineer, doesn’t know how long he’ll have to wait to get his hands on the Starlink kit, but he’s determined to do whatever it takes. He put down a $50 deposit to get a spot on Starlink’s waiting list. “Even if it means I have to wait until January, I don’t care. As long as it’s not Econet, Telecel and NetOne,” he told us Rest of the world.

Years of slow internet speeds, frequent outages and high data charges are driving many Zimbabweans away from the country’s traditional internet service providers. Their dissatisfaction prompted a rush to buy Starlink, with the service selling out in just four weeks after launch.

Starlink, a division of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, provides high-speed internet via low-Earth orbit satellites, primarily targeting rural and remote areas that lack traditional internet infrastructure. By using satellites closer to Earth, Starlink offers faster speeds and lower latency, making it ideal for underserved areas such as Africa and other developing countries.

Kachere said Econet – the country’s largest mobile network operator, owned by billionaire Strive Masiyiwa – was “useless and very expensive”. “They’ve been taking us for a ride for a long time. When we adopted the U.S. dollar, instead of lowering tariffs, they raised fees.

Telecel is the smallest of the three major mobile network operators operating in Zimbabwe and has extensive experience over the years Long network outage Drive away customers.

Econet, Telecel and NetOne did not respond to requests for comment.

Harare truck driver Andrew Chitsa is also frustrated with his local internet service provider. He said that once Starlink is launched, he will definitely order it.

“Data in Zimbabwe is very expensive compared to other countries in the region,” Chitsa told Rest of the world.

Before the arrival of Starlink, Zimbabweans suffered from high data charges, paying as much as $20 per month for just 10GB of data. For the same fee, internet providers in neighboring South Africa offer unlimited data. Econet’s 30GB package sells for $38, while NetOne’s 50GB package costs $50.

By comparison, Starlink has a one-time fee of $350 for a starter kit and an additional $50 per month for the standard plan with unlimited data. Starlink Mini is the portable version of the standard package and comes with unlimited data for just $30 per month.

Rashwhit Mukundu, Africa consultant at press freedom group International Media Support, said: “In the long term, this will be a significant loss for small business and residential customers who subscribe to local network operators and ISPs. Cheap. Rest of the world.

Starlink’s competitive prices force local suppliers to lower their prices. In June, Econet launched high-speed broadband for $45 per month. Smaller ISPs like Powertel have also dropped unlimited data prices to $30.

William Chui, a technician who helped locals install Starlink, told us Rest of the world Since the company was founded, he has installed about 300 kits in Harare’s affluent northern suburbs. Demand continues to grow.

Wealthy Zimbabweans were the early adopters, Chui said. The high upfront cost of the Starlink kit makes it inaccessible to low-income areas in Harare.

Jacob Mtisi, chief executive of Harare information and communications technology company Hamsole, predicted that local network operators may retain urban customers because of their “strong infrastructure”, but the impact of Starlink in rural and underserved areas will be bigger.

Mtisi told Rest of the world Local operators and network service providers need to adapt to the competitive landscape by improving service quality, investing in infrastructure and exploring partnerships with satellite providers. For example, Liquid Intelligence Technologies has signed a distribution partnership agreement with satellite telecommunications operator Eutelsat Group, with the goal of providing low-Earth orbit satellite services – the same technology used by Starlink.

In early November, Musk Posted on X Starlink management is “working hard to increase network capacity in dense urban areas in Africa as quickly as possible.”

According to the Starlink website, Harare and some surrounding areas were still “full” on November 4. The business district of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe’s second largest city, has also been stretched to its limits.

“Please note that there is still significant capacity outside of downtown,” Musk wrote on X.

Despite bottlenecks, demand for Starlink remains high in Zimbabwe.

In the Starlink Facebook group, a user is looking for the mini kit. Another looking for roaming kits registered in Zimbabwe.

Black market dealers offer priced kits. In early November, the Zimbabwe police Five men arrested For the sale and distribution of Starlink kits.

But techies like Chui jumped on the bandwagon early by selling Starlink accessories like rooftop mounts and Ethernet adapters, and they’re already cashing in on strong demand. Chui charges between $80 and $120 for his services.

“The licensing period after Starlink is very good for business,” he said.