Airtel Uganda and Starlink have launched satellite-to-mobile services in Uganda, making Airtel the first telecom operator in the country to offer connectivity directly through satellites for customers in areas beyond the reach of conventional mobile networks.
The service was launched at the Marriott Hotel in Kampala on Thursday, attended by ICT and National Guidance Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba, Uganda Communications Commission (UCC) Executive Director Nyombi Thembo, and Airtel Uganda Managing Director Soumendra Sahu.
Airtel Uganda Managing Director Soumendra Sahu said the service is designed to address geographical gaps in mobile coverage, particularly in areas where installing conventional infrastructure is difficult due to terrain, distance, and limited road access.
“Normally, when there is a road, there is a network. But right now, the solution we are bringing goes beyond the road. When the road ends, our responsibility still continues,” Sahu said.
Airtel currently operates 3,700 4G sites, 584 5G sites, and more than 12,573 kilometres of fibre across Uganda. However, Sahu said investment in terrestrial infrastructure alone cannot eliminate all coverage gaps.
Airtel Public Relations Manager David Birungi explained that the satellite-to-mobile service is intended to complement, not replace, the company’s existing terrestrial network.
“This service extends coverage beyond the boundaries of the terrestrial network. Where the terrestrial network stops, or where your mobile phone reads ‘no service’ or ‘emergency calls only’, that is when the satellite-to-mobile service kicks in,” Birungi said.
The service allows compatible smartphones to connect directly to Starlink’s satellite constellation of 650 launched satellites without requiring a satellite dish, specialised equipment, or a separate device.
At launch, the service will focus on messaging and light data applications, including WhatsApp messaging, SMS, and Google Maps. It will not support bandwidth-intensive services such as voice calls or video.
Customers need a compatible smartphone, data worth at least Shs2,000, and activated roaming to access the satellite-to-mobile service when outside terrestrial network coverage. Eligible customers can register through the MyAirtel App for a free 30-day introductory trial.
UCC Executive Director Nyombi Thembo said the initiative fits within the commission’s regulatory framework, which requires licensed national mobile operators to achieve 90% geographical coverage.
“Under their licensing conditions, national mobile operators must achieve 90% geographical coverage, extending reliable networks to traditionally hard-to-reach terrains such as islands, mountainous regions, and dense forests,” Thembo said. “Whether through terrestrial masts or orbital satellites, our ultimate priority is to ensure every Ugandan, regardless of location, has access to essential communications services”.
Thembo disclosed that Airtel first approached UCC about the service in 2025, but the launch could not proceed because Starlink had not yet been licensed to operate in Uganda. The UCC signed an operational licence agreement with Starlink in May 2026.
ICT Minister Justine Kasule Lumumba hailed the service, saying it would support increased productivity and connectivity across the economy. She noted that the service could help the tourism industry, which has long struggled with poor connectivity, and people living on lakes and mountains.
“This service will, among others, unlock the productivity of our tourism industry, whose challenges with connectivity have long been documented by all stakeholders. Additionally, Ugandans who live in hard-to-reach areas on our beautiful lakes and mountains also deserve services like the rest of us. They will now be able to communicate,” Lumumba said.
The launch follows a strategic partnership between Airtel Africa and SpaceX announced in December 2025 to introduce Starlink Direct-to-Cell connectivity across all 14 Airtel Africa markets, serving more than 174 million customers.
Uganda is the second Airtel Africa market to commercially deploy the service, following its launch in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in August 2026.
Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar said the Ugandan launch demonstrates the company’s progress in extending satellite connectivity across its markets.
“Our ambition is to complement the reach of our terrestrial networks with satellite technology so that our customers can remain connected wherever they live, work or travel,” Taldar said.
The service is expected to be particularly useful in remote areas such as national parks, mountainous regions, islands, and parts of Uganda’s lakes where establishing conventional mobile infrastructure is challenging. Airtel Uganda conducted a pilot of the technology in Murchison Falls National Park beginning in July 2026.
