Safaricom isn’t sitting back to watch Starlink conquer rural Kenya. Instead, it’s fighting back. The telco has slashed prices, marched into fibre-dark towns, and unleashed its 5G network into areas previously left behind.
In just six months, Safaricom has lit up dozens of new 5G sites across the country. This isn’t the Nairobi-centric rollout we’ve seen before. No glitzy launches, no billboards. Just boots on the ground and a message: we’re here, and we’re cheaper.
They’re targeting places where fibre never reached and mobile broadband failed. And while Starlink’s satellite tech has gained a solid footing in such areas, Safaricom is showing it still has home advantage.
Let me break it down. In Western Kenya, Safaricom sales agents have been going door-to-door since January, peddling 5G routers priced at just KES 3,000 ($23). That’s a 90% price drop from last year. The routers come bundled with data plans and the occasional branded t-shirt. Not exactly a tech expo, but it works.
“I was signed up in two minutes,” Paminus Osike, a new customer in Nyanza province, told us. “Starlink’s initial cost is too high, and I like that this connection isn’t fixed, but I can move around with it.” They even offered him a power bank at KES 5,000 ($39) to keep the signal alive during blackouts.
That mobility is a big deal. Unlike fibre or fixed satellite systems, Safaricom’s router can switch to 4G when 5G isn’t available. It’s portable, prepaid, and sold in the same way people buy solar panels—affordable and incremental.
The offer is appealing. Monthly data packages start from KES 4,000 ($31) for 50 Mbps and go up to KES 10,000 ($77) for 250 Mbps. That undercuts Starlink’s standard kit which starts at KES 30,000 ($231) and doesn’t offer as much flexibility.
Meanwhile, Starlink is feeling the heat. In Nairobi, it had to halt new sign-ups due to network congestion. That’s the catch with satellite internet—bandwidth is shared, and busy areas choke performance.
As Safaricom doubles fibre speeds and launches gigabit plans in cities, it’s cornering Starlink on both ends: price and practicality.
But this isn’t just about Kenya. Starlink’s expansion across Africa has ruffled feathers. It’s now operational in 18 countries, yet faces growing resistance. In Zimbabwe, Liquid Home has slashed prices to stay competitive.
TelOne is betting on OneWeb instead. Nigeria’s a different story—Starlink’s already the third-largest ISP there, raising alarms among local operators. The complaint is simple: Starlink skips the heavy lifting—no towers, no trenches—and still grabs market share.
Safaricom, for its part, isn’t just relying on price. It’s leveraging its massive mobile network footprint—1,114 5G sites in 102 towns, touching every county, with over 780,000 active 5G smartphones. It has teamed up with Huawei and Nokia to boost infrastructure.
In Nairobi, Safaricom has even launched 5G experience centres where users can test out virtual reality games, smart home gadgets, and industrial tech—all powered by its network.
Still, Starlink isn’t out. The satellite ISP has thrived in areas where governments and telcos have failed. Even now, it boasts over 19,000 users in Kenya, mostly in isolated parts of Rift Valley. Its appeal? Plug, mount, and connect—no cables needed.
Safaricom once pushed for tighter controls on satellite firms like Starlink, arguing that companies with no local offices shouldn’t enjoy free reign. But with regulators unmoved, Safaricom has pivoted—competing not with policy, but with value.
For a country where rural users often live on tight budgets, the timing matters. Safaricom’s bet is clear: give people what they need, at a price they can manage, and they’ll choose you—even over a space-powered internet connection.
