What Is Starlink? When South Africa Could Get Elon Musk’s Internet
What is Starlink? And why is it suddenly making headlines in South Africa? Simply put, Starlink is Elon Musk’s satellite internet service that’s been making waves globally, promising fast, reliable connectivity in even the most remote areas.
But the buzz here got louder recently when the South African government issued a gazette proposing to relax licensing rules for satellite providers like Starlink. This could finally open the door for Starlink to launch officially in SA.
So, how does Starlink work, when (if ever) will South Africans get it, what would it cost, and is it really the fix for slow, unreliable internet? Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is Starlink?
Starlink is a satellite internet service created by Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, aiming to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband to underserved and remote regions around the world.
So, what is Starlink satellites internet, exactly? Well, instead of relying on traditional underground fibre-optic cables or mobile towers, Starlink uses a constellation of thousands of small satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) to deliver fast, reliable internet.
By late June 2025, Starlink had over 7,800 active satellites circling the planet at around 550 km altitude, with approval for up to 42,000 in total. This massive network is already live in more than 20 African countries, including Lesotho, Niger and Liberia.
How Does Starlink Work?
Starlink works by combining cutting-edge satellite technology in space with a simple, plug-and-play setup on your side. Let’s break it down step by step:
How Satellite Internet Works
Traditional systems relied on a single massive satellite parked 35,000 km above the equator, which meant sluggish speeds and sky-high latency.
Starlink flips the script by using thousands of small satellites in low-Earth orbit (LEO) just about 550 km above the planet. These satellites form a web of high-speed connectivity across the planet.
Here’s where it gets clever:
Each Starlink satellite talks to its neighbours directly using high-speed space lasers and communicates with user terminals and ground stations using advanced phased-array antennas.
When you open a website or stream a video, your request beams up to a satellite, hops across space via laser links until it finds one that’s in range of a Starlink ground station connected to the fibre backbone.
The ground station then sends your data into the wider internet, and the response then makes the same journey back to you.
By orbiting closer to Earth and routing traffic efficiently in space, Starlink avoids bottlenecks and can deliver faster speeds and lower latency, ideal for video calls, streaming and gaming.
How It Works at Your End
On your side, getting connected is surprisingly simple:
You’ll receive a flat, pizza-box shaped Starlink dish (called “Dishy”), a Wi-Fi router, and mounting hardware.
To set it up, you just need to plug the dish into power and place it in a spot with a clear, unobstructed view of the sky—like your garden, balcony, or rooftop.
There are two types of dishes:
Motorized dishes: These can automatically rotate and tilt to find the best angle for connecting to Starlink satellites.
Manual dishes: These need you to position them yourself. The Starlink app will guide you through setup, showing you where to rotate and adjust until it’s pointing in the right direction.
Either way, the dish uses its advanced phased-array antenna to track and talk to the satellites passing overhead, switching seamlessly between them to keep you online without interruptions.
The result?
Download speeds regularly top 200 Mbps
Upload speeds around 20–30 Mbps
Latency under 30 ms (fast enough for Zoom calls and gaming)
Unlike fibre, Starlink doesn’t need trenches, towers, or complicated installations—just a clear view of the sky and a steady source of electricity. That last part is crucial in South Africa, where load-shedding and power outages can leave even the best setups offline.
For remote areas and city homes alike, a portable power station (or a “solar generator” when paired with solar panels) solves the problem. It stores energy from the grid or the sun and keeps your dish, router, and essentials running when the lights go out. And if you’re heading off-grid for an adventure or working remotely, it’s just as useful for powering Starlink in places far from any plug point.
A standard Starlink dish draws about 50–75W while in use, so even a compact unit like the EcoFlow RIVER 2 Portable Power Station can keep you connected for hours.
It packs a 256Wh LiFePO₄ battery and delivers 300W AC power (600W surge), more than enough for your Starlink, phones, laptops, and lights. At just 3.5kg, it’s easy to carry in a backpack or toss into the back of a bakkie for an off-grid weekend.
It recharges astonishingly fast too: 0–100% in just 60 minutes from a standard wall outlet, or about 3 hours using a 110W solar panel if you’re off the grid. The advanced LiFePO₄ battery is rated for 3,000 charge cycles, giving you up to 10 years of daily use.
EcoFlow RIVER 2 Portable Power Station
Benefits of Starlink for South Africans
Starlink could bring some serious advantages to both rural and urban areas in South Africa. Here’s why people are excited:
Connecting Rural Communities
Right now, only about 1.7% of rural households have fixed-line internet. Digging fibre trenches to farms, small towns or remote villages often isn’t profitable for local internet service providers (ISPs). Starlink can beam internet straight from space to anywhere with a clear view of the sky, giving rural homes and businesses access to fast, reliable internet for the first time.
A Backup for City Users
Even in cities, South Africans deal with load-shedding, cable theft and network outages. Starlink could act as a powerful backup connection—or your primary one—keeping your home or office online when traditional networks fail.
Mobility for Adventure & Work
With Starlink’s Roam plan, you can take your dish on the road. Whether you’re camping in the Drakensberg, sailing on a yacht, working from a remote lodge, or running a mobile clinic, you’ll still have fast internet access wherever you go.
Affordable Internet for Schools
To sweeten its case for approval, Starlink’s parent company SpaceX has offered to invest R500 million to roll out free internet to 5,000 schools nationwide. That means over 2 million children could benefit from high-speed connectivity, helping to bridge South Africa’s digital divide in education.
Boosting Competition & Lowering Prices
By adding another major player to the market, Starlink could push local ISPs to improve their services and bring prices down for everyone.
Resilience for Businesses & Emergencies
Businesses, farms, and emergency services could rely on Starlink during natural disasters, cable cuts or cell tower failures, keeping critical operations online when others go dark.
Starlink’s Current Status in South Africa
South Africa is still one of the few African countries where Starlink isn’t officially licensed.
On 23 May 2025, the government took a big step forward by publishing a gazette proposing to ease Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) rules for satellite providers. Instead of the current 30% local ownership requirement, the plan would allow companies like SpaceX to meet empowerment targets through “equity-equivalent” investments. This adjustment is widely seen as a direct move to pave the way for Starlink’s entry into the market.
However, there are still challenges to overcome. Political opposition has already emerged, with the EFF promising to block any deal they see as undermining empowerment laws—even threatening court action if necessary.
Meanwhile, the ICASA (Independent Communications Authority of South Africa) has confirmed that Starlink hasn’t applied for a licence yet and warned that imported dishes running on global roaming plans are not legally authorised for use in South Africa.
There are also scientific concerns to consider. Astronomers working on the SKA-Mid telescope project are pushing for strict, binding conditions to prevent radio-frequency interference before any licence is approved.
Despite all these hurdles, demand is real. Thousands of South Africans have already bought Starlink roaming kits from neighbouring countries, paying roughly R1,260 per month for access and enjoying speeds of over 200 Mbps.
When Starlink Could Launch in South Africa
Analysts estimate it will take at least 12 to 18 months for the government to finalise the equity-equivalent policy changes. Once that happens, ICASA will still need to process Starlink’s applications for both an electronic communications service (ECS) licence and an electronic communications network service (ECNS) licence. That step alone typically takes another six to nine months.
If all goes smoothly, Starlink could go live in South Africa by late 2026. However, if the proposed policy changes face court challenges, the timeline could slip further, possibly into 2027. At this stage, the biggest obstacles aren’t technical—they’re regulatory.
What Would Starlink Cost in South Africa?
At the moment, South Africans using global roaming pay around R1,260 per month, plus the cost of imported hardware.
Looking at neighbouring countries gives a clearer idea of potential pricing:
In Lesotho (June 2025 launch), Starlink priced the standard kit at R7,400 and the monthly residential plan at R950.
A smaller, lower-cost “Mini” kit was also introduced there for R3,800, aimed at making Starlink more accessible to low-income users.
If similar pricing comes to South Africa, you can expect:
Hardware costs between R7,000 and R12,000, depending on local taxes, duties and whether the Mini kit is included.
Monthly service fees in the range of R900 to R1,300, comparable to what neighbouring countries pay but adjusted for VAT and potential regulatory costs.
While not cheap, Starlink’s pricing is competitive with South African LTE-home and fixed-wireless services—and it offers a lifeline for rural areas where fibre may never reach.
Conclusion
By now, you should have a clear idea of what is Starlink and why it matters to South Africa. Starlink has the potential to reshape internet access in South Africa, bringing high-speed connectivity to areas traditional networks can’t reach. While it’s not officially available yet, recent policy changes and growing demand suggest a launch could happen within the next 18 to 24 months.
With hardware and service costs likely to rival current LTE and fixed wireless options, Starlink could soon become a game-changer for rural and urban users alike. For now, all eyes are on regulators to see when this satellite-powered future becomes a reality.
FAQs
What exactly does Starlink do?
Starlink is a satellite internet service developed by SpaceX, designed to provide high-speed broadband access to underserved and remote areas worldwide. Unlike traditional internet providers that rely on ground-based infrastructure, Starlink uses a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver internet connectivity.
This approach allows for faster data transmission with lower latency, making it suitable for activities like video conferencing, online gaming, and streaming. Starlink’s user equipment includes a satellite dish, Wi-Fi router, and mounting hardware, which can be self-installed, offering a convenient solution for areas lacking reliable internet infrastructure.
How much does Starlink cost?
While Starlink is not yet available in South Africa, pricing from nearby countries gives a good estimate:
Hardware Kit: Approximately R7,000 to R12,000, which includes the satellite dish, Wi-Fi router, and necessary cables.
Monthly Subscription: Around R900 to R1,300 for the standard service, which includes unlimited data usage and regional roaming across Africa.
If approved locally, South African users can expect similar pricing, possibly with added regulatory fees. These costs are competitive compared to traditional broadband services, especially in rural and remote areas where other options may be limited or unavailable.
Is Starlink available in South Africa?
No, Starlink is not officially available in South Africa yet. The satellite internet service from SpaceX is still waiting for regulatory approval to operate locally. In May 2025, the government proposed easing Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) rules for satellite providers, which could clear the way for Starlink to apply for a licence.
However, until ICASA finalises this process and grants approval, Starlink remains unavailable. Some South Africans have managed to use Starlink through its global roaming service by importing kits from neighbouring countries, but this is technically unlicensed and not guaranteed to work long-term.
Is Starlink a Wi-Fi or internet?
Starlink provides internet service via satellite, not traditional Wi-Fi. The service delivers broadband internet through a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites, which is then distributed within your home or business via a Wi-Fi router included in the Starlink kit.
This setup allows for wireless internet access on your devices, similar to other Wi-Fi networks. However, the key difference is that the internet connection itself is provided through satellite technology rather than terrestrial cables or fibre optics. This makes Starlink particularly beneficial in areas where traditional internet infrastructure is lacking or unreliable.