Kenya’s push to expand universal internet access could soon draw the country into a high-stakes satellite broadband contest between two global technology heavyweights – Jeff Bezos-owned Amazon and Elon Musk’s Starlink.

A courtesy call by representatives of Amazon’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network to ICT and Digital Economy Principal Secretary John Tanui last week signals that Nairobi is being positioned as a potential frontier in the next phase of satellite internet expansion.

In a public post following the meeting, which was led by Amazon’s Senior Manager for International Public Policy, Farouk Shamas Jiwa, Mr Tanui said the discussions focused on internet connectivity for Kenya’s underserved communities through the multinational’s LEO satellite technology.

“A pleasure to engage the team from Amazon’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network, who paid a courtesy call to explore collaboration opportunities in advancing universal connectivity,” wrote Mr Tanui.

“The discussions focused on expanding fast, reliable, and affordable broadband to unserved and underserved communities through LEO satellite technology.”

Mr Tanui later confirmed to the Business Daily that Amazon’s operation in Kenya will mirror Starlink’s current activities, pointing to a looming connectivity rivalry with Musk’s firm.

“Amazon’s LEO technology will be similar to that of Starlink. It is expected to activate within one to two years. They just launched the solution in Africa, and Kenya will be one of the first three countries,” said Mr Tanui in a text response.

Read: How direct-to-cell satellite internet technology works

Amazon’s satellite broadband initiative, known globally as Project Kuiper, is designed to deploy a constellation of more than 3,000 small satellites in low Earth orbit to provide high-speed, low-latency internet coverage worldwide.

Unlike traditional geostationary satellites positioned roughly 36,000 kilometres above the Earth, LEO satellites orbit at much lower altitudes, typically below 2,000 kilometres. This reduces signal delay and enables broadband speeds comparable to fibre in some cases.

Project Kuiper is positioned as Amazon’s response to Starlink, the satellite network operated by SpaceX that has already launched thousands of satellites and rolled out services in multiple African markets, including Kenya.

Amazon has committed billions of dollars to Kuiper, securing rocket launch agreements and building satellite manufacturing capacity in the United States.

Commercial services are expected to scale progressively, targeting rural communities, enterprises, telecom operators and governments seeking backhaul solutions.

In markets such as the US and parts of Europe, Kuiper has positioned itself as both a direct-to-consumer broadband service and a wholesale infrastructure provider to telecom firms.

In emerging markets, partnerships with governments and operators are widely expected to form the backbone of expansion strategies.

Space race

While Kenya’s much-publicised digital transformation agenda prioritises universal connectivity, e-government services, digital health, remote learning and SME digitisation, fixed broadband coverage remains uneven, particularly in rural and remote regions.

Terrestrial fibre rollout has proven capital-intensive and often commercially unattractive in sparsely populated counties.

Mobile broadband, while widespread, struggles with capacity constraints and coverage gaps in arid and semi-arid areas.

Satellite broadband, however, offers a pathway to leapfrog physical infrastructure bottlenecks.

Starlink entered Kenya in 2023, marketing high-speed satellite internet directly to households and businesses.

At its onset, the new entrant disrupted the market, offering speeds that rivalled fibre in some areas, but at hardware and subscription prices that remained relatively high for mass adoption.

Currently, Starlink enjoys a first-mover advantage in Kenya’s LEO space, having built brand recognition and an early subscriber base among tech-savvy users, remote businesses and some county institutions.

By contrast, Amazon’s global scale, cloud dominance and logistics footprint are set to give it strategic levers that differ from Starlink’s approach.

Through Amazon Web Services, the firm already supplies cloud infrastructure to governments and enterprises worldwide. A bundled strategy combining satellite broadband with cloud services could therefore position Kuiper as more than just an internet provider.

Read: Amazon global VP on scaling the multinational's establishment in Kenya

Starlink, by contrast, operates as a vertically integrated connectivity solution under the broader umbrella of SpaceX, focusing primarily on access provision rather than layered digital services.

In Kenya, the government’s signalled interest in satellite broadband is not only about consumer access but also about supporting digital public infrastructure, spanning Huduma centres and e-citizen platforms to county health systems and school connectivity.

On pricing, Starlink’s equipment kit and monthly subscription costs have placed it in the premium segment of Kenya’s broadband market, with affordability remaining a constraint to widespread rural adoption.

Read: Starlink cuts upfront cost with instalment payment plan

Amazon’s entry could introduce pricing competition, especially if it leverages economies of scale and cross-subsidises connectivity through other service lines.

Regulatory test

Satellite operators require licensing from Kenya’s Communications Authority, spectrum approvals and compliance with local data regulations. The regulator must also consider market fairness, taxation and the potential impact on domestic telecom operators.

Local internet service providers have previously raised concerns about regulatory parity, arguing that satellite players should face similar obligations to terrestrial operators.

The satellite broadband shift, for instance, places a portion of national connectivity infrastructure in orbit and controlled by foreign private entities, raising questions around data governance, dependency and digital sovereignty.

→ kmwangi@ke.nationmedia.com

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