Billionaire Elon Musk has broken his own record for transforming global mobile communication, which he announced in September.
Musk disclosed at the ALL-IN Summit that his businesses, SpaceX and Starlink, were working on new mobile phones with chipsets that connect directly to satellites.
Musk Informed the delegates that these phones would "probably start shipping within two years," allowing for global high-bandwidth access without the need for national carriers.
“It will allow SpaceX to deliver high-bandwidth connectivity directly from the satellites to the phones. The chipset needs to be modified to accommodate these frequencies, which would likely take a two-year timeframe. But the net effect is you will be able to watch videos anywhere on your phone,” said Musk.
Airtel Africa announced this week that it will offer Starlink Direct-to-Cell to its customers starting next year. The telco will be Africa's first mobile network operator to launch Starlink Direct-to-Cell.
Airtel Africa said satellite-to-mobile service will commence in 2026, including data for certain applications and text messaging. The implementation will follow country-specific regulatory approvals.
“Airtel Africa remains committed to delivering great experience to our customers by improving access to reliable and contiguous mobile connectivity solutions. Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell technology complements the terrestrial infrastructure and even reaches areas where deploying terrestrial network solutions are challenging,” commented Airtel Africa managing director and CEO Sunil Taldar.
This follows Airtel Africa's separate deal with Starlink in May of this year to provide Starlink's broadband internet service to its subscribers. The company operates in 14 African markets.
The Starlink project has propelled the telecoms sector to new heights while simultaneously putting mobile network operators under pressure to re-evaluate their plans or risk becoming irrelevant.
The latest threat of phones bypassing established mobile networks puts mobile operators under even more strain, especially in Africa, where the telecoms sector remains the backbone of connection and financial services.
To date, 26 African countries have licensed Starlink to operate services in their countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Musk’s move is set to accelerate competition, forcing operators to innovate to stay relevant in this increasingly competitive market.
Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy, has already taken steps in this direction. In June, the National Space Research and Development Agency signed an agreement with Chinese firm Galaxy Space to roll out direct-to-device satellite communication countrywide.
Starlink is no longer an abstract concept in Africa, with the service licensed in over half of the continent's countries and operational in at least 20 by the first half of 2025.
The service provider intends to reach more than 45 countries by the end of 2026.
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