I got an email from Starlink today and my heart skipped a beat! It’s been quite a few months since I paid the pre-order booking fee online and it seems the Starlink terminals will start shipping in Kenya in a few week’s time.

However, this is only half the story as I nearly had a heart attack once logged into the Starlink website and had a look at what it would cost to secure my order for the same.

Buying the Starlink terminal will set you back a total of Kes. 89,000 which includes a shipping fee of Kes. 3,100. At the same time, the monthly subscription would be Kes. 6,500 which doesn’t seem ridiculously priced but is still more than what I currently pay for my home Internet service.

But the real killer was this notice on the Starlink website when you want to complete the sign-up process:

‘Starlink is currently available in your area using inter-satellite links! You can expect Starlink’s typical high-speed internet with brief periods of intermittent service and high latency.

Users will be able to engage in common internet activities like email, online shopping, or streaming a movie, but they won’t be able to engage in activities like online gaming or video calls. Service will improve dramatically over the next year.’

I was like, hang on a second?! What’s the point of getting Starlink if their Internet service is expected to be possibly slower or the same as what you have at home or on 4G or 5G in Kenya? Not to mention the high cost of acquiring the Starlink terminal. I. Have. So. Many. Questions…

That being said, this is Kenya? So, consumers and businesses are always keen to try the next big thing in technology and Starlink is no exception. There will be scenarios where it could be the only viable alternative in really remote locations, also known as the ‘bundus’.

Ultimately, I can see Starlink demand outstripping supply, right out of the box. Mark. My. Words. This is Kenya and we don’t come to play when it comes to our Internet! These sorts of things are taken seriously in a market where Internet access has become something of a basic human right for over 30 million Internet users 🙂