DRC: Airtel and Starlink Launch Direct Satellite Connectivity for Mobile Phones

Kinshasa is welcoming a major innovation in the telecommunications sector. Airtel Africa, in partnership with the American company Starlink, launched a service in Kinshasa on Friday providing satellite connectivity directly to mobile phones. Presented as a first in Africa, the solution aims to strengthen digital coverage in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and reduce network dead zones.

The commercial launch of this solution comes in a country characterized by the vastness of its territory and the difficulty of extending conventional telecommunications infrastructure to certain remote areas.

The stated objective of the partners is to eventually contribute to broader digital coverage, including in areas where terrestrial networks remain difficult to deploy.

A Response to Geographical Challenges

Speaking on behalf of Sunil Taldar, CEO of Airtel Africa, who was unable to attend due to health restrictions related to the Ebola virus disease, Thierry Diasnoma, Managing Director of Airtel DRC, welcomed the launch of the new service.

“Airtel Africa, in partnership with Starlink, is proud to launch today a satellite connectivity service for mobile phones, a first in Africa, with the DRC as the first destination,” he said.

According to him, the technology represents an important step in expanding connectivity across the DRC.

It is intended in particular to enable people living, working, or travelling in areas beyond the reach of conventional mobile infrastructure to remain connected.

“Due to the size and geography of our country, many people live, work and travel beyond the reach of conventional mobile infrastructure,” Thierry Diasnoma explained.

A New Asset for the Digital Economy

The satellite service should therefore provide a complementary solution to terrestrial networks, particularly in rural, mining, or difficult-to-access areas.

For companies operating in remote regions, this connectivity could also facilitate communications and certain activities requiring continuous network access.

Airtel and Starlink thus intend to help reduce the digital divide in the DRC, where access to reliable connectivity remains a major challenge for economic and social development.

Beyond telecommunications, the initiative also opens new opportunities for sectors dependent on connectivity, including digital financial services, logistics, education, healthcare, and mining activities.

The DRC is therefore positioning itself as a pioneer market in Africa for this new technology.

MB – ACP

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