Starlink has recently unveiled a more affordable kit and a residential plan priced at $30.87 per month in Kenya, shortly after Safaricom enhanced its fiber internet speeds to rival the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk.
The new Starlink Mini kit is priced at $208.38 (KES27,000) and offers speeds of up to 100mbps, making it an attractive option for cost-conscious customers. This is a significant drop from the previous kit price of KES45,000 ($347.25) that was introduced in July 2023.
The residential Lite plan from Starlink is expected to increase competition among subscribers in Kenya, as users seek faster internet at more affordable rates. Additionally, in August, Starlink rolled out a $15 monthly kit rental plan.
Safaricom, the largest ISP in Kenya, responded to the growing popularity of Starlink by upgrading its internet speeds. The 10Mbps package was boosted to 15 Mbps at KES 3,000 ($23), while the 20mbps plan was increased to 30Mbps. Furthermore, Safaricom doubled the speeds for users on the 40Mbps plan and increased the 100Mbps package fivefold. They also launched a 1Gbps package priced at KES 20,000 ($155) for heavy internet users.
Safaricom has been advocating for the Communication Authority of Kenya (CA) to restrict satellite ISPs like Starlink, citing the potential threat to its dominant position in Kenya’s broadband market. Safaricom, which is planning to introduce its satellite internet service, currently holds a 36.7% market share in the data market and serves around 400,000 customers through its 14,000km of fiber optic cable network.