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Airtel bets on Starlink to turn Africa’s dead zones into “text-from-anywhere” coverage

Airtel bets on Starlink to turn Africa’s dead zones into “text-from-anywhere” coverage

New Capabilities
By Newzino Staff |

A direct-to-cell deal across 14 countries sets up a 2026 rollout—and a new satellite-to-phone arms race on the continent.

December 16th, 2025: Airtel Africa and Starlink agree on direct-to-cell across 14 markets

Overview

Airtel Africa just made a classic telecom promise—“coverage everywhere”—with a very un-classic tool: Starlink satellites acting like cell towers in space. If it works, the places where Airtel’s network map turns blank won’t be silent anymore.

The stakes aren’t just nicer service maps. This is about who owns the next layer of mobile infrastructure in Africa: telcos and towers, or telcos plus satellites. Airtel is betting that “SMS first, light data next” is enough to win trust—and that regulators will let a space company into the most sensitive asset in telecom: licensed spectrum.

Key Indicators

14
Airtel Africa markets in scope
One agreement, continent-scale footprint—if country-by-country permissions hold.
2026
Target start year
Service is planned to begin with text messaging and limited data for select apps.
20x
Claimed data-speed uplift (next-gen system)
Airtel says Starlink’s first broadband direct-to-cell satellites improve smartphone data speed 20-fold.
9 / 14
Starlink licensing progress (earlier Airtel-Starlink deal)
Earlier in 2025, Starlink was licensed in nine Airtel markets, with five pending.
650+
Starlink direct-to-cell satellites cited in U.S. service scale
The U.S. launch shows the system is moving from demo to mass-market operations.

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People Involved

Sunil Taldar
Sunil Taldar
Managing Director and CEO, Airtel Africa (Leading the 2026 direct-to-cell rollout plan across Airtel’s footprint)
Elon Musk
Elon Musk
Founder/CEO, SpaceX (operator of Starlink) (Scaling Starlink into a telecom infrastructure partner, not just an ISP)
Chad Gibbs
Chad Gibbs
VP, Starlink Business Operations (SpaceX) (Public face of Starlink’s operator-partnership strategy in Africa)
Solly Malatsi
Solly Malatsi
South Africa Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies (Pushed ownership-rule changes that could open the door to Starlink operations)
Charles Molapisi
Charles Molapisi
CEO, MTN Group (Testing satellite-to-phone options as competitors move)

Organizations Involved

Airtel Africa plc
Airtel Africa plc
Telecommunications Company
Status: Mobile operator deploying Starlink direct-to-cell across 14 African markets

Airtel Africa is betting satellites can cheaply erase the last pockets of “no service” across its footprint.

Starlink
Starlink
Satellite Network Operator
Status: Providing direct-to-cell satellite connectivity using partner-carrier spectrum

Starlink is turning its satellite fleet into a global roaming layer for ordinary phones—starting with SMS.

Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)
Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA)
Telecom Regulator
Status: Authorizes satellite-to-phone trials and manages spectrum rules in South Africa

ICASA’s trial approvals signal how African regulators may test direct-to-phone without committing nationwide.

Lynk Global
Lynk Global
Satellite-to-Phone Provider
Status: Competing direct-to-device system piloted with MTN in South Africa

Lynk is proof that Starlink isn’t the only satellite-to-phone option Africa can choose.

MTN Group
MTN Group
Telecommunications Company
Status: Testing satellite-to-phone connectivity and pushing infrastructure efficiency

MTN is both a competitor to Airtel and a signal flare: Africa’s big telcos are shopping for satellites.

South Africa Department of Communications and Digital Technologies
South Africa Department of Communications and Digital Technologies
Government Ministry
Status: Changed rules to ease entry for foreign satellite operators via “equity equivalent” programs

South Africa’s rule tweaks could set a template—or a warning—for Starlink’s expansion.

Kyivstar
Kyivstar
Mobile Network Operator
Status: Early proof point for Starlink direct-to-cell commercialization (Europe-first launch)

Kyivstar shows the rollout pattern: SMS first, then light data, then broader services.

Timeline

  1. Airtel Africa and Starlink agree on direct-to-cell across 14 markets

    Deal

    The companies target a 2026 start with SMS and limited data in areas lacking terrestrial coverage.

  2. South Africa eases ownership rules, opening door for Starlink-style entrants

    Rule Changes

    A shift toward “equity equivalent” compliance could reduce a major barrier for foreign operators.

  3. Kyivstar launches Starlink Direct to Cell in Ukraine

    Product

    Ukraine becomes the first European country with customer access to Starlink direct-to-cell SMS coverage.

  4. T-Mobile expands satellite-to-cell beyond SMS into app support

    Product

    Reuters reports new support for apps like WhatsApp and Maps, hinting at a path beyond pure texting.

  5. Airtel Africa signs Starlink connectivity distribution deal

    Deal

    Airtel and SpaceX agree to bring Starlink satellite connectivity across Airtel’s footprint, licenses permitting.

  6. MTN and Lynk complete Africa’s first satellite voice call on a smartphone

    Technology

    A trial in South Africa shows direct-to-device voice and SMS are viable outside tower coverage.

  7. T-Mobile opens beta registration for direct-to-cell service

    Product

    T-Mobile invites customers to sign up for Starlink-powered beta aimed at eliminating dead zones.

  8. U.S. regulator approves SpaceX–T-Mobile supplemental coverage

    Rule Changes

    FCC authorizes the first major U.S. satellite-to-cell partnership using terrestrial spectrum bands.

  9. First Starlink direct-to-cell satellites reach orbit

    Technology

    SpaceX launches the first batch of Starlink satellites built to connect directly to phones.

  10. SpaceX and T-Mobile pitch “Coverage Above and Beyond”

    Announcement

    They announce satellites using carrier spectrum to reach U.S. dead zones, starting with texting.

Scenarios

1

Airtel Flips On SMS-From-Space in 2026, Country by Country

Discussed by: Reuters; satellite-industry press tracking operator launches and licensing progress

Airtel and Starlink start with the least controversial, least bandwidth-hungry feature: SMS in true dead zones. The first live markets are the ones where Starlink is already licensed and spectrum coordination is clean. Airtel markets it as safety, continuity, and rural inclusion—not as a replacement for towers—then expands into “light data” for a small set of apps as satellite capacity grows.

2

Regulators Slow the Rollout Into a Patchwork—and Airtel Can’t Promise “14 Markets” Anymore

Discussed by: Reuters coverage of licensing and ownership hurdles; analysts focused on telecom regulation risk

Direct-to-cell forces regulators to answer uncomfortable questions: who controls emergency access, how lawful intercept works, and how interference is prevented when satellites reuse terrestrial bands. A few countries approve quickly; others impose conditions, delay spectrum authorizations, or require local partnerships that change economics. Airtel ends up launching in phases, with inconsistent features and timelines that dilute the headline promise.

3

Rivals Beat Airtel to Voice/Data First, Triggering a Price-and-Features War

Discussed by: Satellite and telecom analysts; evidence from MTN/Lynk trials and competing LEO partnerships

If a competitor proves reliable voice or more usable data earlier—even in just one flagship market—Airtel faces churn pressure in rural corridors and along transport routes where coverage gaps are most painful. Airtel and Starlink respond by subsidizing access, widening the set of supported apps, or accelerating next-gen satellites. The race shifts from “first coverage” to “best coverage,” and margins become the battlefield.

4

Direct-to-Cell Stalls at “Nice for Emergencies,” Never Becomes Everyday Data

Discussed by: Skeptics citing satellite bandwidth constraints and the history of expensive satphone economics

Texting works, but the leap to meaningful data proves harder: limited capacity, device battery drain, and tougher interference requirements slow expansion. Customers treat it as backup connectivity, not primary. Airtel keeps investing in terrestrial coverage (including sharing) because satellites don’t move the revenue needle enough to justify aggressive pricing or marketing beyond safety and resilience.

Historical Context

Iridium’s late-1990s satphone boom, bust, and reboot

1998–2001

What Happened

Iridium launched a global satellite phone network with enormous ambition—and crushing costs. Subscriber growth lagged, the company entered bankruptcy in 1999, and service was shut down before assets were sold and the system restarted under new ownership.

Outcome

Short Term

The original business collapsed under debt and unrealistic adoption assumptions.

Long Term

Satellite voice survived as a niche once pricing, ownership, and use cases reset.

Why It's Relevant Today

Direct-to-cell is also capital-intensive; the lesson is to start with the right wedge use case.

Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite turns “off-grid texting” into a mainstream expectation

2022–present

What Happened

Apple shipped iPhone satellite messaging for emergencies, backed by major investment in satellite and ground infrastructure. It normalized the idea that ordinary phones should still communicate when towers fail or disappear.

Outcome

Short Term

Consumers learned to treat satellite messaging as a safety feature, not a luxury gadget.

Long Term

It raised the bar for mobile resilience and pressured carriers to offer broader satellite options.

Why It's Relevant Today

Airtel’s “SMS first” mirrors the same adoption playbook: safety first, everyday use later.

Africa’s tower-sharing revolution creates a template for shared infrastructure layers

2010–present

What Happened

Independent tower companies scaled across Africa by selling one thing repeatedly: shared infrastructure that multiple operators can rent instead of duplicating. This lowered coverage costs and accelerated rollouts in hard-to-serve areas.

Outcome

Short Term

Operators reduced capex and expanded coverage faster through leasing and sharing.

Long Term

Telecom competition shifted from owning towers to optimizing networks and services on top.

Why It's Relevant Today

Direct-to-cell could become the next shared layer—space-based coverage rented like tower space.

13 Sources:
+7
Reuters Via Satellite GlobeNewswire (Kyivstar) T-Mobile Newsroom KDDI Newsroom Starlink Apple Newsroom CNN Money Reuters Reuters Reuters T-Mobile Newsroom Reuters