Starlink has emerged as Kenya's eighth-largest internet provider, surpassing Liquid Telecommunications with 16,746 subscribers and capturing a 1.1% market share, as reported by the Communications Authority of Kenya.

This rapid growth is notable considering Starlink was ranked as the tenth largest ISP just six months prior in June 2024, highlighting its dominance in the satellite internet market compared to competitors like Viasat and NTvsat, which have fewer than 300 subscribers each.

The company's expansion has been driven by a significant demand for high-speed internet, particularly in areas where fixed broadband is unavailable, catering to both residential and business needs.

To further enhance its market presence, Starlink has employed various promotional strategies, including reducing the installation kit price from $688 to approximately $348 during a promotional period in early 2024.

Additionally, Starlink launched a competitive 50GB data plan priced at just $10, significantly undercutting offers from established providers like Airtel and Safaricom.

In a bid to make its services more accessible, Starlink introduced a hardware rental plan in August 2024 and plans to launch satellites in 2025 that will enable direct internet delivery to mobile devices, eliminating the need for hardware kits.

In December 2024, Starlink improved its service quality by routing users through a ground facility in Nairobi, which dramatically reduced average latency for Kenyan users from 120 milliseconds to just 26 milliseconds.

However, Starlink's growth has not been without challenges; proposed regulations from Kenya's telecommunications regulator aim to address concerns from established ISPs like Safaricom and Airtel, which may disadvantage smaller satellite ISPs.

One such regulation includes a proposed tenfold increase in licensing fees for satellite internet providers, raising the cost of a 15-year license from $12,302 to $115,331, alongside an annual 0.4% levy on gross turnover.