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Paratus Uganda has become the first internet service provider in the country to launch Starlink’s low earth orbit (LEO) satellite service.
The rollout follows the official signing of a memorandum of understanding and operational licence agreement between the Uganda Communications Commission and Starlink last weekf.
The move positions Paratus Uganda at the forefront of next-generation connectivity in the country, unlocking high-speed, low-latency satellite access for enterprise customers even in the most remote parts of Uganda.
Paratus Uganda launched last year through a joint venture between Paratus Group and Kampala-based ISP Roke Telkom. Since then, it has supported customers with resilient cross-border connectivity via the 2,000 km protected Goma-to-Mombasa (G2M) route.
The addition of Starlink builds on this offering, giving customers an integrated connectivity solution backed by Paratus Group’s East-West Southern Africa backbone, redundancy solutions and value-added network services.
With Starlink now part of its portfolio, the company is activating a pipeline of enterprise customers across sectors including mining, healthcare, tourism, NGOs and government, many of which require dependable connectivity in remote and underserved areas.
“There has been significant demand for LEO services from enterprise customers who have been waiting for Starlink to become available in Uganda,” said Edwin Kyambadde, Country Manager of Paratus Uganda.
“Now that Starlink is licensed, the hard work begins as we connect customers across the country. This is a powerful addition to our network and it’s a game-changer for businesses operating beyond traditional infrastructure reach.”
Paratus Group Chief Commercial Officer Martin Cox said the licence approval reinforces the Group’s strategy of building a contiguous, multi-layered network across Africa.
“This will be Paratus Group’s 9th country in Africa offering Starlink services,” Cox said. “Satellite plays a critical role in extending our reach into areas where terrestrial infrastructure is limited.”
“With Starlink now available through Paratus Uganda, we can offer customers not only in Uganda but also across the East African region even greater resilience, faster deployment and truly borderless connectivity.”
Uganda’s milestone throws into relief how far Kenya’s own Starlink integration still has to go.
Airtel Kenya has completed testing of Starlink’s direct-to-cell technology. A pilot in March 2026 confirmed that 4G-compatible smartphones could connect to Starlink’s constellation of 650 satellites in areas with no terrestrial coverage, carrying WhatsApp calling and messaging, maps and MyAirtel app transactions.
The telco has since submitted a formal application to the Communications Authority of Kenya and is awaiting regulatory clearance before it can go commercial. That step would make it the country’s first mobile operator to offer direct satellite-to-phone connectivity.
On the broadband side, Starlink already has a foothold in Kenya through Safaricom. The telco’s parent company, Vodacom, signed an Africa-wide deal with SpaceX to integrate Starlink’s satellite technology for backhaul, equipping existing cell towers with satellite terminals to extend rural coverage.
Starlink has separately partnered with rural broadband operator Mawingu Networks to deploy satellite internet across roughly 450 digital hubs, including schools and farmer cooperatives, in rural and peri-urban Kenya.
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