Zimbabweans embrace Starlink as a cheaper and faster internet option
Zimbabweans are increasingly turning to Starlink, the satellite internet service created by SpaceX, as a cheaper and faster alternative to the local internet providers. Starlink, which has a worldwide network of satellites hovering 550km above the earth, delivers speeds up to 100 Mbps with low latency12. The cost of Starlink internet service in Zimbabwe is relatively affordable compared to other internet services, especially for those who buy the kit in neighbouring countries and use it on a roaming package.
According to Techzim, a local technology news website, Starlink is working in Zimbabwe for as low as US$53 per month for those who buy the kit in Mozambique or Zambia2. The kit, which includes a satellite dish, a tripod and a Wi-Fi router, costs US$499. In contrast, the cheapest local internet package in Zimbabwe is US$120 per month, and the service is often unreliable and slow3.
Starlink has not yet officially launched in Zimbabwe, but it intends to do so by the end of 20233. However, some Zimbabweans have already pre-ordered the service online, despite the uncertainty of whether it will be licensed by the government or not4. The government has not yet commented on Starlink’s plans, but some local internet providers have expressed concerns about the competition and the potential loss of jobs and taxes.
Hopewell Chin’ono, a prominent Zimbabwean journalist and activist, has been vocal in his support for Starlink. He posted on his Facebook page that Starlink is a game-changer for Zimbabwe and that local companies will have to learn to compete or die. He argued that Starlink will create more employment opportunities and tax revenues by enabling more businesses to access affordable and stable internet across the country3.
“Starlink is here, it is a lived reality, it is better for the Zimbabwean Government to license it so that they can benefit from taxes,” he wrote. “Business doesn’t care about emotional arguments.”3
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