Bloomberg: Musk plans to increase internet access in Africa

According to reports, Starlink will offer terminals and connectivity kits in a number of continent-wide nations.

According to a Tuesday Bloomberg article, Elon Musk’s SpaceX will collaborate with e-commerce site Jumia Technologies to offer satellite terminals and networking kits in Africa.

Jumia, which counts Pernod Ricard SA and Goldman Sachs Group as investors, announced that it will begin selling Starlink kits on its websites in Nigeria in the upcoming weeks. Then it will start making sales in Kenya before expanding to the rest of Africa.

According to Jumia Chief Commercial Officer Hisham El Gabry, “We have seen Starlink do these types of deals in Southeast Asia and South America, and now Africa will also have the opportunity to access the fast-speed internet services.”

According to the publication, the partnership will enable Starlink to increase the reach of its satellite broadband in locations without official addresses or municipal maps.

The world’s lowest internet penetration continent should receive broadband services thanks to Starlink’s portable terminals, which can connect to low-Earth orbit satellites.

According to Abdesslam Benzitouni, head of communications for Jumia globally, the partnership won’t result in a new pricing structure; rather, Jumia will continue to sell hardware kits for $557, the cost listed on Starlink’s website, which include the Starlink dish, a mounting stand, cables, and a power source.

It has proven challenging for major internet service providers in Africa, like MTN Group and Vodacom Group, to extend infrastructure into outlying regions.

Big IT companies have tried to use innovative methods to bring high-speed internet to Africa, but these attempts have failed, forcing a resort to fibre optics and undersea cables.

To provide high-altitude connectivity across the continent, Meta Platforms’ Facebook attempted to construct a massive drone, but it was ultimately grounded. Similar experiments were made by Google as part of Alphabet’s Loon project, which made use of helium-filled balloons. Ultimately, the concept was shelved two years ago.

“When we started constructing an African e-commerce business, we had to establish our own business models, transportation network, and, to some extent, mapping,” said El Gabry. Therefore, we have the necessary expertise to navigate Africa’s retail and goods landscape.

Unmodified smartphones can connect to satellites in places with coverage gaps thanks to Starlink satellite technology, which enables services that are not available with conventional terrestrial solutions. Experts believe that this increases the likelihood that it will connect individuals in Africa.