Starlink can beat mobile network speeds in South Africa
February 24th 2026
SpaceX’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite Internet service, Starlink, offers faster data transmission speeds than cellular networks in specific scenarios.
However, current data only allows comparison of its dish-based services, while its direct-to-cell data services must still launch.
Wireless access network optimisation engineer Karina Stefanovic recently highlighted Starlink’s capabilities at the Asia Pacific Regional Internet Conference on Operational Technologies in Indonesia.
Stefanovic used the RIPE Atlas Internet measurement network to compare Starlink’s data transmission speeds between Europe and Asia with the speeds recorded on 4G and 5G networks.
It showed that Starlink often delivered data transmission travelling over international borders more quickly than mobile operators.
Stefanovic believes one reason for the better performance could be Starlink’s inter-satellite laser connections.
The system enables optimal routing of data between satellites in space before transmission to or from a user or a ground station.
With a terrestrial cellular network, the “last-mile” connection is between the user and a tower. The tower is connected to the operator’s fibre backbone using a backhaul link, which could be fibre or microwave.
It should be emphasised that Starlink would not be able to replace cellular networks — at least not with its current fleet size and satellite orbiting altitudes.
The Starlink data used in Stefanovic’s analysis primarily comes from dedicated Starlink antennas, which are most often used for fixed residential or business connections.
While the network also supports in-motion Internet access in cars, boats, and planes, it still requires an antenna.
Starlink offers a direct-to-cell (D2C) service, but it is currently limited to SMS only on three cellular networks: T-Mobile in the US, One NZ in New Zealand, and Veon in Ukraine.
Even if it launches Internet access over D2C, speeds will be much lower than what is achievable with the dedicated Starlink antenna, which has a phased-array antenna and advanced beam-forming tech.
While there have been substantial advances in reducing the size of this device, it is not currently possible to fit this technology in a smartphone.
Regular smartphone modems currently don’t have the power output or gain to support satellite Internet speeds anywhere near those they can with a 4G or 5G terrestrial connection.
LEO satellite connectivity is also not currently capable of transmitting data through thick physical objects like roofs.
Vodacom and MTN partnering with Starlink
Regardless, Starlink and other LEO networks are not intended to replace terrestrial cellular providers, but could complement their services.
South Africa’s two largest mobile networks — Vodacom and MTN — have also partnered with Starlink to plug their coverage gaps in remote areas in some of their African markets.
A direct comparison between Starlink and South African mobile networks’ performance would not be fair, given that Starlink is used in fixed scenarios by a much smaller customer base.
However, it could be insightful when considering that many users in Starlink’s primary target market in South Africa — rural households and businesses — are currently limited to fixed-wireless broadband.
While Starlink has not yet launched in South Africa, its performance in the five neighbouring countries where it is available could be a valuable indicator of what users can expect.
Starlink’s network performs better in rural areas with fewer users, whereas cellular networks tend to perform better in cities.
The simple economics of a terrestrial operator prevent it from deploying substantial infrastructure in less-populated areas.
Starlink connectivity, on the other hand, suffers when it has a high concentration of users in a small area — like a city.
Due to overwhelming demand in Zimbabwe’s capital city of Harare, the company temporarily halted new sign-ups after users began recording speeds in the low double digits.
In that country, Starlink is now reporting average download speeds of 81Mbps to 272Mbps, average upload speeds of 17 to 42Mbps, and latency of 29 to 46ms.
During 2025, South Africa’s best-performing network, MTN, posted an average download speed of 83.94Mbps, average upload speed of 27.77Mbps, and latency of 30ms.
Starlink in neighbouring countries vs SA mobile networks
| Network | Download speed | Upload speed | Latency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starlink Lesotho | 287Mbps to 413Mbps | 26 to 72Mbps | 23 to 26ms |
| Starlink Eswatini | 226Mbps to 346Mbps | 31 to 59Mbps | 24 to 26ms |
| Starlink Botswana | 191Mbps to 341Mbps | 26 to 53Mbps | 26 to 32ms |
| Starlink Mozambique | 162Mbps to 314Mbps | 25 to 50Mbps | 28 to 35ms |
| Starlink Zimbabwe | 81Mbps to 272Mbps | 17 to 42Mbps | 29 to 46ms |
| MTN | 83.94Mbps | 27.77Mbps | 30ms |
| Vodacom | 67.02Mbps | 14.28Mbps | 31ms |
| Cell C | 61.90Mbps | 27.27Mbps | 36ms |
| Telkom | 44.94Mbps | 12.10Mbps | 30ms |
| Rain | 22.13Mbps | 11.10Mbps | 29ms |