The service gives the operator a new way to extend basic connectivity across one of Africa’s largest and least-connected markets without requiring users to purchase satellite dishes or separate terminals.

Starlink Mobile connects compatible smartphones directly to low-Earth-orbit satellites when a terrestrial signal is unavailable and the user has a clear view of the sky.

The initial service supports SMS and light-data applications, including WhatsApp messaging, rather than full mobile broadband.

Customers need a compatible LTE Android smartphone and an active Airtel DRC data bundle or data roaming enabled.

Eligible users can register through the MyAirtel app for a free 30-day introductory trial, after which access will continue through qualifying Airtel data bundles.

Apple device support is expected later, subject to further technical development and regulatory approvals, according to Airtel Africa’s launch statement.

The commercial rollout follows a strategic partnership that Airtel Africa and Starlink announced in December 2025 and successful data and messaging tests conducted in Kenya in March 2026.

The DRC is the first of Airtel Africa’s 14 markets to introduce the service commercially, with expansion to other countries dependent on local regulatory approvals.

“By combining Airtel’s terrestrial network with Starlink’s satellite technology, we are extending essential connectivity beyond the limits of mobile infrastructure,” Airtel Africa CEO Sunil Taldar said.

The service is designed for customers and organizations operating beyond existing network coverage, including transport and logistics companies, humanitarian agencies, health workers, farmers and mining operations.

It can also provide a basic communication channel during natural disasters, emergencies and temporary disruptions to terrestrial networks.

The DRC presents a significant connectivity challenge because of its size, dispersed population and limited network infrastructure outside major urban areas.

The country had 34.7 million internet users at the end of 2025, representing 30.5% of its population, while approximately 79 million people remained offline, according to DataReportal’s Digital 2026 assessment.

Satellite-to-phone technology can address part of the country’s geographic coverage problem, but its initial commercial impact will depend on access to compatible smartphones, mobile data affordability and reliable electricity.

The DRC’s Universal Service Development Fund has also emphasized that basic satellite coverage does not replace the higher-capacity networks required by businesses, schools, hospitals, government services and digital platforms.

The government’s National Connectivity Strategy for 2026–2035 aims to connect nearly 68 million people living in rural areas through a combination of shared towers, mobile networks, backhaul infrastructure and community digital centers.

The strategy divides the country into five operating zones and plans deployment in three phases, with commercially viable sites expected to help offset the cost of serving less profitable areas, according to the Universal Service Development Fund.

Private investment in terrestrial infrastructure is continuing alongside the satellite rollout.

The DRC’s investment promotion agency said in March that Helios Towers was planning a program valued at nearly $100 million to expand telecommunications infrastructure across 23 provinces.

The International Finance Corporation also approved an indicative $34.35 million loan in June, pending signing, as part of an approximately $180 million financing package supporting Eastcastle Infrastructure’s expansion in the country.

For Airtel Africa, the DRC deployment provides a commercial test of whether satellite-to-phone technology can extend basic services beyond the economic limits of conventional mobile networks.

For the DRC, its value will depend on service affordability, device access and integration with continued investment in towers, fiber, energy systems and broadband capacity.

Satellite connectivity can close immediate communication gaps, while terrestrial infrastructure will remain essential for supporting the higher-volume digital services required by businesses and public institutions.