Infrastructure
Airtel Uganda Launches Satellite-to-Mobile Service with Starlink to Expand Connectivity
Airtel Uganda has launched a satellite-to-mobile service in partnership with Starlink, opening a new way for Ugandans to stay connected in areas where conventional mobile network coverage is limited or unavailable.
The service launched on Thursday, 24 September 2026, at the Kampala Marriott Hotel, with the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Rt. Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba, Airtel Uganda Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Soumendra Sahu, and the Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Mr. George William Nyombi Thembo.
Uganda is the second African market, after the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Airtel has commercially introduced the Starlink satellite-to-mobile service.
The service lets customers with compatible smartphones stay connected when they move beyond Airtel’s terrestrial network. It uses Starlink’s satellite network to provide SMS and selected light-data services, including WhatsApp messaging, without requiring a satellite dish or a separate satellite device.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Lumumba said the service is another step towards expanding connectivity and using technology to address challenges faced by communities in hard-to-reach areas.
“We have created an environment that supports innovation and creativity to solve real problems, such as achieving 100% geographical coverage of the country.”
She said improved connectivity could also support Uganda’s tourism sector, particularly in areas where tourists and communities face limited network coverage. “Ugandans who live in hard-to-reach areas, including communities around our lakes and mountains, also deserve access to communication services. With this service, they now have another way to stay connected,” she said.
Minister Lumumba congratulated Airtel Uganda for pioneering the service and noted that the government will continue to provide a policy environment that supports innovation and private sector investment in ICT.
For UCC, the launch demonstrates how satellite technology can complement existing telecommunications infrastructure and help address coverage gaps.
Mr. Nyombi Thembo said Uganda’s regulatory framework allows operators to use different technologies to meet the country’s connectivity needs. “Whether through terrestrial masts or orbital satellites, our ultimate priority is to ensure every Ugandan, regardless of location, has access to essential communications services,” he said.
Under their licensing conditions, national mobile operators must achieve coverage across at least 90% of Uganda’s geographical area. This includes difficult terrain such as islands, mountains, forests and other hard-to-reach areas.
The satellite-to-mobile service is therefore expected to complement Airtel Uganda’s existing network rather than replace terrestrial infrastructure. Where mobile towers cannot easily reach, satellite connectivity can provide an additional option for keeping people connected.
Airtel Uganda Managing Director and CEO Soumendra Sahu said the company is pleased to introduce another technology that can extend its network's reach.
He noted that Airtel Uganda has continued to invest in new technologies, including the introduction of 2G in 2010 and 5G in 2023, and said the Starlink partnership is another step in expanding connectivity to areas beyond conventional network coverage.
The service is expected to be particularly useful in remote locations such as national parks, mountainous areas, islands and parts of Uganda’s lakes where building and maintaining conventional network infrastructure can be difficult. It can also provide an additional communication option during emergencies and temporary disruptions to terrestrial networks.
The launch follows UCC's licensing of Starlink in May 2026, which established the regulatory framework for Starlink’s operations in Uganda. UCC will continue to monitor the service to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, including service quality, reliability and consumer protection.
The Airtel-Starlink partnership adds satellite technology to Uganda’s growing range of connectivity solutions and provides another avenue for extending communication services to communities that have traditionally been difficult to reach.
The service launched on Thursday, 24 September 2026, at the Kampala Marriott Hotel, with the Minister of ICT and National Guidance, Rt. Hon. Justine Kasule Lumumba, Airtel Uganda Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Soumendra Sahu, and the Executive Director of the Uganda Communications Commission (UCC), Mr. George William Nyombi Thembo.
Uganda is the second African market, after the Democratic Republic of Congo, where Airtel has commercially introduced the Starlink satellite-to-mobile service.
The service lets customers with compatible smartphones stay connected when they move beyond Airtel’s terrestrial network. It uses Starlink’s satellite network to provide SMS and selected light-data services, including WhatsApp messaging, without requiring a satellite dish or a separate satellite device.
Speaking at the launch, Minister Lumumba said the service is another step towards expanding connectivity and using technology to address challenges faced by communities in hard-to-reach areas.
“We have created an environment that supports innovation and creativity to solve real problems, such as achieving 100% geographical coverage of the country.”
She said improved connectivity could also support Uganda’s tourism sector, particularly in areas where tourists and communities face limited network coverage. “Ugandans who live in hard-to-reach areas, including communities around our lakes and mountains, also deserve access to communication services. With this service, they now have another way to stay connected,” she said.
Minister Lumumba congratulated Airtel Uganda for pioneering the service and noted that the government will continue to provide a policy environment that supports innovation and private sector investment in ICT.
For UCC, the launch demonstrates how satellite technology can complement existing telecommunications infrastructure and help address coverage gaps.
Mr. Nyombi Thembo said Uganda’s regulatory framework allows operators to use different technologies to meet the country’s connectivity needs. “Whether through terrestrial masts or orbital satellites, our ultimate priority is to ensure every Ugandan, regardless of location, has access to essential communications services,” he said.
Under their licensing conditions, national mobile operators must achieve coverage across at least 90% of Uganda’s geographical area. This includes difficult terrain such as islands, mountains, forests and other hard-to-reach areas.
The satellite-to-mobile service is therefore expected to complement Airtel Uganda’s existing network rather than replace terrestrial infrastructure. Where mobile towers cannot easily reach, satellite connectivity can provide an additional option for keeping people connected.
Airtel Uganda Managing Director and CEO Soumendra Sahu said the company is pleased to introduce another technology that can extend its network's reach.
He noted that Airtel Uganda has continued to invest in new technologies, including the introduction of 2G in 2010 and 5G in 2023, and said the Starlink partnership is another step in expanding connectivity to areas beyond conventional network coverage.
The service is expected to be particularly useful in remote locations such as national parks, mountainous areas, islands and parts of Uganda’s lakes where building and maintaining conventional network infrastructure can be difficult. It can also provide an additional communication option during emergencies and temporary disruptions to terrestrial networks.
The launch follows UCC's licensing of Starlink in May 2026, which established the regulatory framework for Starlink’s operations in Uganda. UCC will continue to monitor the service to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, including service quality, reliability and consumer protection.
The Airtel-Starlink partnership adds satellite technology to Uganda’s growing range of connectivity solutions and provides another avenue for extending communication services to communities that have traditionally been difficult to reach.
The author is a Communications Officer at the Ministry of ICT & National Guidance.
