Starlink suspends new subscriptions as Internet demand soars

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Internet company Starlink has temporarily paused new sign-ups in several African cities due to high demand.

Billionaire businessman Elon Musk confirmed the news in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.

Musk’s remarks were in response to a user who noted that Starlink had stopped taking new registrations in multiple urban centres across Africa, where the network had reached capacity limits.

Addressing the issue, Musk stated, “Starlink is working to increase Internet capacity in densely populated urban areas in Africa as quickly as possible. Please note that there is still significant capacity outside city centres.”

The surge in demand for Starlink’s services underscores the growing need for reliable internet in African cities, where infrastructure issues have limited access to fast and stable connectivity.

Elon Musk’s Starlink launched its satellite internet service in Nigeria in January 2023, making Nigeria the first African country to access the service.

The launch came after approval from the Nigerian Communications Commission in May 2022, with preorders following shortly after.

Starlink has since grown rapidly, becoming Nigeria’s third-largest internet service provider by the end of 2023, with over 23,000 subscribers.

In June, Kenya’s telecoms regulator ranked Starlink as the 10th largest internet service provider in the country, holding a 0.5 per cent market share, equivalent to around 8,000 subscribers.