Airtel Africa has unveiled a major technology partnership with SpaceX that could significantly reshape mobile connectivity across the continent announcing plans to roll out Starlink’s Direct to Cell satellite service across its African operations.
Under the agreement, Airtel Africa will integrate SpaceX’s low earth orbit satellite technology into its mobile network footprint in 14 African countries allowing ordinary mobile phones to connect directly to satellites in areas where traditional network infrastructure is weak or entirely absent.
The service, expected to begin rolling out in 2026 will initially support text messaging and limited data services with more advanced broadband capabilities introduced in later phases, subject to regulatory approvals in individual markets.
“This partnership is about extending coverage to places where building conventional networks is either difficult or uneconomical,” Airtel Africa Chief Executive Officer Sunil Taldar said. “By combining our terrestrial networks with satellite technology, we can offer more consistent and reliable connectivity to our customers particularly in remote and underserved communities.”
Starlink’s Direct to Cell technology enables mobile devices to connect straight to satellites without the need for specialised equipment meaning users will not require new phones or satellite terminals. The approach is designed to complement existing mobile networks rather than replace them, filling coverage gaps caused by terrain, distance or low population density.
Airtel Africa serves more than 170 million customers across its markets making the partnership one of the largest planned deployments of satellite-to-mobile connectivity on the continent.
SpaceX says the collaboration is aimed at extending basic communication services to regions that have long remained offline.
“Direct to Cell is designed to keep people connected even where terrestrial networks cannot reach,” said Stephanie Bednarek, Vice President of Commercial Sales at Starlink. “Working with Airtel Africa allows us to scale this capability across multiple countries and communities.”
The companies emphasised that the rollout would proceed on a country by country basis depending on approvals from national regulators. Airtel Africa operates in markets including East, West and Central Africa where large rural populations continue to face connectivity challenges.
Once fully deployed, the satellite service is expected to enhance network resilience during outages, improve coverage along transport corridors and remote settlements, and support emergency communications in hard to reach areas.