Elon Musk's Starlink Targets Mobile Phone Users, Set To Connect Them Directly To Satellite

• American billionaire Elon Musk's Starlink continues to provide competition for fibre internet service providers (ISPs)
• The company announced plans to allow mobile phone users a direct connection to the satellite internet via advanced Evolved Node B
• According to technology expert Moses Kemibaro, should Starlink achieve mass subscription, it will disrupt the existing cable ISPs market share

TUKO.co.ke journalist Wycliffe Musalia has over five years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting and offers deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Mobile phone users could soon be able to access Starlink satellite internet directly without the use of hardware routers.

The company, owned by American billionaire Elon Musk, announced plans to onboard Evolved Node B on its satellites.

Why Starlink plans to connect phones directly

In an exclusive interview with TUKO.co.ke, technology expert Moses Kemibaro said the main challenge in onboarding new subscribers to Starlink Internet is the relatively high hardware costs.

The company has been providing competition to existing internet service providers (ISPs), especially through discounted offers and, most recently, the rental option introduced in Kenya.

Kemibaro explained that if Starlink achieves mass subscription through direct mobile phone connection, it will disrupt the existing cable ISPs market share.

"If Starlink achieves critical mass and goes mainstream, it could significantly disrupt the upper tiers of consumer and business Internet services," said Kemibaro.

According to Business Daily, the advanced Evolved Node B (eNodeB) modem connection aims to increase the company's internet market share.

Which phones will connect to Starlink internet directly?

The eNodeB connection works similarly to the standard roaming connection and will act like a cellphone tower in space.

According to the company, the modem is compatible with ordinary 4G-LTE mobile phones.

The 4G-LTE compatibility will allow wireless connectivity to the satellite internet without the help of the hardware kit, which retails for around KSh 29,000.

Why Safaricom wants Starlink regulated

To achieve this, the company will require cooperation with existing local telco operators who will offer LTE spectrum to transmit the signals, like the standard roaming services.

Starlink said regulatory approval will also be key in the deployment of the eNodeB across the globe.

Kenya's leading telco, Safaricom, raised concerns about Starlink's entry into the Kenyan market and urged the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to regulate the satellite internet provider.

Safaricom argued that satellite coverage could cross borders and illegally provide services within Kenya, leading to 'harmful interference', among other reasons, necessitating regulation.

How much is the cost of internet packages in Kenya?

Previously, TUKO.co.ke reported that Kenyan internet market has recently faced a disruption with the entrance of Space X's Starlink.

Starlink has been reviewing its pricing for internet packages to woo Kenyan consumers with fast internet connectivity, including an option to rent the installation hardware per month due to the high installation costs.

Currently, the prices of internet vary among the different service providers. Typically, Wi-Fi price in Kenya ranges from about Ksh 1,500 to about Ksh 12,000.

Proofreading by Otukho Jackson, a multimedia journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke