Satellite-to-Phone Services Remove One Barrier, Leave Another for African Consumers
August 20th 2026
- Airtel Africa’s Starlink Mobile launch in the DRC removes the need for costly satellite terminals by allowing compatible smartphones to connect directly to satellites in areas without terrestrial coverage.
- D2D technology could lower one barrier to satellite connectivity, but smartphone affordability remains a major constraint in Africa, where device penetration is still far below the global average.
- Compatibility requirements may further limit adoption, since only certain LTE and satellite-capable smartphones can use D2D services, meaning the technology may initially benefit a relatively narrow segment of the population.
Airtel Africa on Friday, Aug. 14, announced the commercial launch of “Starlink Mobile” in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The service allows subscribers with compatible smartphones to connect directly to Starlink satellites in areas without terrestrial mobile coverage, without requiring additional satellite equipment.
As Direct-to-Device, or D2D, technology expands across Africa with the promise of eliminating the need for costly satellite terminals, one question remains: Can it really make satellite connectivity affordable for a broad segment of the population on a continent where the digital divide remains pronounced?
D2D aims to remove the satellite terminal barrier
Consumers generally need dedicated equipment to access satellite services, including satellite dishes, reception kits and specialized terminals. As Starlink has expanded across Africa, the upfront cost of that equipment has emerged as one of the main barriers to consumer adoption.
Côte d’Ivoire illustrates the issue. Several consumer satellite offerings are available in the country. Starlink sells two kits for about 247,500 CFA francs and 148,000 CFA francs. Telecom operators MTN Côte d’Ivoire and Orange Côte d’Ivoire also offer satellite internet services, with kits priced at around 150,000 CFA francs, excluding installation fees.
Taking the cheapest option available in Côte d’Ivoire, Starlink’s “Mini” kit, priced at $256.70, is equivalent to about 9.2% of annual gross national income, or GNI, per capita, which the World Bank estimated at $2,780 in 2025. Measured against monthly GNI per capita, the kit costs the equivalent of about 1.1 months of income.
The affordability challenge is even greater across sub-Saharan Africa, where GNI per capita stood at $1,610 in 2025. At that level, Starlink’s “Mini” kit represents nearly 16% of annual GNI per capita. Measured against monthly GNI per capita, the equipment costs the equivalent of almost two months of income.
Smartphones could become the next barrier to satellite connectivity
While Direct-to-Device technology is designed to eliminate the need for a dedicated satellite terminal, it does not fully solve the access and affordability problem. It still requires another essential device: a smartphone. Smartphone adoption, however, remains limited in Africa.
According to the GSMA, smartphone penetration remains lower in Africa than in other regions of the world. In 2024, smartphones were used by just 24% of the population, compared with a global average of 56%. Device affordability is one factor behind that gap.
The GSMA estimated that the median price of an entry-level smartphone in sub-Saharan Africa was $39 in 2024. That was equivalent to 26% of average income across the population. The figure rose to 64% for the poorest 40% and 87% for the poorest 20%. It also stood at 32% for women, compared with 23% for men.
And owning a smartphone is not enough: the device must also be compatible with satellite connectivity. Airtel Africa said customers using its DRC service need a compatible LTE Android smartphone as well as an active Airtel DRC data plan or an enabled data-roaming option. Apple devices are expected to be supported in the future.
Amazon, which plans to begin offering commercial D2D services in 2028, has similarly indicated that its initial services will be limited to devices equipped with chipsets capable of supporting satellite communications. The company has also entered into a partnership with Apple to support satellite features on selected iPhone and Apple Watch models.
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