Govt welcomes Starlink internet service provider
Starlink’s entry is poised to intensify competition in Uganda’s internet market as satellite broadband joins the country’s growing connectivity landscape.
Govt welcomes Starlink internet service provider
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The Government has welcomed Starlink, a new satellite-based internet service provider, which has started its operations in Uganda.
Foreign Affairs Minister Adonia Ayebare confirmed the commencement of Starlink's operations in the country and welcomed the development.
“Happy to announce that Starlink is now live in Uganda, look out for the official Starlink announcement shortly. This is to thank everyone involved,” Ayebare posted on X today (September 2).
The internet service, which is operated by US-based billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX, opens a new front in the race to expand connectivity across the country.
Starlink announced today (September 2) that its high-speed, low-latency internet was now available in Uganda, ending months of regulatory processes that preceded its commercial launch.
Starlink’s entry follows a Memorandum of Understanding and a five-year operational licence agreement signed with the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) in May this year.
Under the licensing framework, Starlink is required to establish a national gateway and physical point of presence in Uganda, maintain an operational office and ensure that devices activated in the country are registered.
UCC said the requirements were intended to ensure security, revenue assurance, accountability and compliance with Uganda’s laws, including data protection requirements.
New competition
Starlink’s arrival is expected to increase competition in Uganda’s internet market, particularly in the provision of fixed broadband services.
Its residential package offers speeds of up to 100Mbps (Megabits per second) at about $54 (approximately sh204,000) per month, while the initial equipment and related charges bring the upfront cost to about sh2.3m.
The pricing could, however, limit uptake among some households, particularly in urban areas where fibre internet is already available at lower prices, according to analysts.
This could make the service attractive to businesses, schools, health facilities and households in underserved areas.
Growing demand
The launch comes as Uganda’s demand for internet services continues to rise. According to the latest Uganda Communications Commission second-quarter 2026 report, the country had 19.7 million active mobile internet subscriptions as of June 2026. Uganda also had about 49 million active mobile subscriptions and 20.5 million smartphones.
Internet users consumed 267.4 million GB (Gigabytes) of data in the second quarter, reflecting growing demand for digital services.
The 19.7 million figure refers to active mobile internet subscriptions rather than unique internet users, since one individual can have multiple SIM cards or subscriptions.
Besides mobile operators, Uganda has witnessed the expansion of fibre and other fixed broadband providers, which connect homes, businesses and institutions through routers.
Starlink’s entry now adds satellite broadband to the mix.