KAMPALA, Uganda — Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has officially gone live in Uganda, opening a new chapter in the country’s connectivity market after months of regulatory negotiations.

The confirmation was made by Starlink on September 1, with the company’s residential service, pricing and hardware now available through its order platform for customers in Uganda.

The launch marks a significant shift from the situation earlier this year, when Starlink services were suspended in Uganda amid regulatory concerns surrounding unauthorised use of its terminals.

Uganda and Starlink reached a formal agreement in May 2026, when the Uganda Communications Commission signed a Memorandum of Understanding and operational licence agreement with Starlink at State House, Entebbe, in an event witnessed by President Yoweri Museveni.

The agreement cleared the way for Starlink to establish a formal operating framework in Uganda. The government said its key interests included security, revenue assurance and accountability within the telecommunications sector.

The UCC has also said Starlink's licence permits the company to provide satellite infrastructure and services, including sharing infrastructure with other licensed operators to expand connectivity, particularly in underserved and unserved parts of the country.

Rural connectivity

Starlink's entry could prove particularly important for communities where conventional broadband infrastructure remains limited or expensive to deploy.

Unlike fibre and terrestrial mobile networks, Starlink uses a constellation of low-Earth-orbit satellites to deliver internet connectivity to locations that can be difficult to reach with conventional infrastructure.

Its availability is therefore expected to create new options for households, businesses, schools and institutions in remote areas, while also increasing competition within Uganda's internet market.

Starlink's launch also comes as satellite technology becomes increasingly integrated into Africa's telecommunications sector.

In Uganda, Airtel has separately been testing Starlink's Direct-to-Cell technology, which allows compatible smartphones to connect directly to satellites in areas without conventional mobile network coverage. That service is distinct from the residential Starlink service now available to Ugandan customers.

From regulatory tensions to commercial launch

Starlink's path into Uganda has not been straightforward.

In January, the UCC clarified that Starlink had not yet received authorisation to offer direct-to-consumer services in the country, warning that satellite services could not legally operate without regulatory approval.

The subsequent May agreement resolved the central regulatory question and established conditions for Starlink's formal presence in Uganda.

With the service now live, attention is likely to shift from whether Starlink can operate in Uganda to how quickly it can scale, how it will compete with established telecom and internet providers, and whether satellite connectivity can significantly narrow Uganda's digital divide.

The launch also places Uganda within a wider African expansion of satellite internet, as governments across the continent seek to use low-Earth-orbit satellite networks to extend connectivity beyond the reach of traditional infrastructure.

For Uganda, Starlink's commercial launch represents not simply the arrival of another internet provider, but a test of how satellite technology can complement the country's broader digital transformation agenda.