Starlink has made its stance in Africa, cheaper internet, wider coverage, and some much-needed competition to local service providers. Well, to Uganda, we might also get some of this… but how soon, and at what cost?
If you’ve ever been frustrated by slow buffering, youtube freezing at a loading circle, dropping online calls, or paying top dollar for barely-usable internet, you’re not alone. The hope that Elon Musk’s Starlink could bring high-speed, satellite-based internet to Uganda is building up conversations across the country. And as of April 2025, those talks just got real.
President Museveni recently met with Starlink executives to discuss the company’s official entry into Uganda. While the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) hasn’t yet confirmed any licensing, this high-level engagement is a major signal that wheels are turning behind the scenes. – Ugandan leader meets Starlink to discuss entry to East African nation
The idea is simple: Starlink’s low-earth orbit satellites beam internet from space, bypassing the need for physical infrastructure like cables and masts. And for a country where many rural areas remain digitally cut off, this is very much a big deal.
So, What’s in It for Us?
To start with, coverage. Starlink doesn’t care if you’re in downtown Kampala or a remote village somewhere in the valleys. Its reach is borderless. That comes as huge relief for students trying to attend online classes, businesses needing stable connections, or hospitals using telemedicine platforms…and of course, the normal citizen visiting the grandparents, we all understand the frustration of getting offline whenever village visits come about.
Then there’s the issue of competition. Let’s face it, Uganda’s internet is dominated by very few players, and prices are steep. Starlink’s entry might just be the push these ISPs need to improve service and lower costs. Some people already use Starlink’s roaming kits in Uganda by paying extra, despite no official rollout yet. So the demand is clearly there.
But Can We Afford It?
Now, here’s the issue. In countries like Rwanda, Starlink charges roughly UGX 357,000 per month, with the hardware alone costing upwards of UGX 1 million. That’s no small change in a country where the average monthly income hovers around UGX 450,000-750,000.
So while the tech is exciting, affordability remains a major hurdle. Will there be localized pricing? Government subsidies? That’s the part still up in the air. What’s certain is that if Starlink wants to reach beyond Uganda’s urban elite, it’ll need a pricing model that resonates with the average citizen.
But even without full deployment, Starlink’s presence is already shaking things up. Consumers are talking. Expectations are rising and local providers? They’re watching closely since they now have a global competitor at the gate, one with rockets and satellites, no less.
The hope is that this triggers a wave of innovation and price adjustments. At the very least, it challenges the current monopoly-like atmosphere and gives the Ugandan consumer a louder voice in the market.
Is Uganda Ready?
Technically, yes. Uganda already has Starlink coverage on the map, but that’s not the same as having local regulatory approval. From a user perspective, many are ready and willing, but waiting on clarity around official launch dates, customer support, pricing, and after-sales service.
And let’s not forget safety. In late 2024, debris from a SpaceX satellite landed in western Uganda, damaging property. While rare, incidents like that will need clear communication and accountability protocols as Starlink expands.
Starlink in Uganda isn’t just about faster YouTube or seamless Netflix. It’s about digital inclusion, economic opportunity, and a step toward closing the connectivity gap that has held back entire communities.If Starlink can offer speeds, reliability, and affordability, even for remote villages, it could completely flip the internet narrative for many Ugandans. But for now, we watch, wait, and whisper, “Could this be the internet miracle we’ve been praying for?”
