Elon Musk’s Starlink is disrupting Africa’s telecom sector, sparking complaints from local providers, who have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in the sector. In Kenya, Safaricom has called for stricter regulations, arguing that satellite internet providers like Starlink should partner with local networks rather than operate independently. Telcos in Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Cameroon, have raised similar concerns. They complain that Starlink has more freedom and looser regulatory requirements, and claim they can’t compete fairly with its prices and services. Nevertheless, Starlink’s affordable pricing and innovative services appear to have spurred some of them to improve their services, to the benefit of consumers. An example is Safaricom, which recently doubled the speed of its fiber internet packages. Regardless of telcos’ complaints, governments are likely to continue supporting Starlink as it promises to bridge digital divides.
SOURCE: SEMAFOR