Starlink Quietly Removes Roaming Service Option Across Africa

In a significant development that affects potential Starlink users across Africa, including Kenyans, Starlink has quietly removed its Roaming service option from all African markets where it operates.

Our investigations reveal that attempting to sign up for Starlink’s Roaming service from any African country now triggers an error message stating: “Starlink Roam is not available in your area. Please select a valid country where Starlink Roam can be purchased and shipped.”

Starlink’s expansion across Africa has been noteworthy, with Kenya joining a select group of countries that have granted regulatory approval, including Benin, Eswatini, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Nigeria, and Mozambique. However, in countries where Starlink lacks regulatory clearance, some users have circumvented restrictions by purchasing kits from licensed countries and utilizing Starlink’s roaming service.

Impact on Regional Markets

The Roaming service, which previously cost US $100 per month (approximately Ksh 13,000) following a price increase in August, had been a popular option for users in countries where Starlink wasn’t yet licensed. For instance, users in unlicensed territories could purchase kits from licensed neighboring countries and operate them under the Roaming package.

What This Means for Users from unlicensed countries

For users awaiting Starlink’s entry into their markets, these changes have significant implications:

Cross-border purchases are no longer viable – users can no longer purchase kits from neighboring countries where Starlink is licensed
Local regulatory approval is now required – users must wait for official licensing and launch in their respective countries
Limited alternatives remain – users must continue relying on existing internet service providers, which typically offer expensive packages with slower speeds

Regional Impact

The impact is already being felt in neighboring markets. In countries like Zimbabwe, where Starlink recently received licensing, the company has begun shutting down roaming accounts that exceeded their 60-day grace period. Reports indicate that approximately 5,000 Zimbabwean accounts were operating under the Roaming service before local licensing was secured.