Airtel Africa in partnership with SpaceX’s Starlink, has commercially launched Africa’s first direct satellite-to-mobile service in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The deployment marks the first time Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell technology has gone live on the continent. The milestone allows standard smartphones to connect directly to orbiting satellites without requiring dedicated satellite dishes, external antennas, or specialized hardware.
For millions of residents, logistics operators, and frontline workers spread across the sprawling Central African nation, the service provides a crucial line of communication in areas where cell towers have never existed.The deployment follows a technical pilot conducted by the two companies in Kenya earlier this year and represents the first commercial activation of Starlink’s Direct-to-Cell technology anywhere on the continent.
Direct Satellite Connectivity for Everyday Smartphones
The new service connects compatible LTE Android smartphones directly to Starlink’s constellation of over 650 direct-to-device satellites. Subscriber authentication operates through standard Airtel DRC SIM cards, requiring only a clear line of sight to the sky.
Initial capabilities center on messaging and light-data applications rather than high-bandwidth video streaming. Data speeds run below 1 Mbps, providing continuous connectivity for critical tools including:
- Standard SMS messaging across all supported networks.
- WhatsApp messaging for real-time text communications.
- Essential mobile data protocols for emergency alerts and localized coordinates
Support for Apple iOS devices is planned for future technical updates as SpaceX expands its second-generation satellite constellation.
Signal From the Sky: How Direct-to-Cell Operates
Unlike…
Source link
Read Full Article by Toluwanimi Adejumo at innovation-village.com
Source link
