SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service has reached a significant milestone, surpassing 4 million customers worldwide, according to SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell. This achievement, confirmed by SpaceX, reflects the service’s rapid growth trajectory since its launch in October 2020. With an ever-expanding constellation of nearly 6,000 satellites, Starlink is now available in close to 100 countries, serving a diverse range of customers, from individual users to large enterprises, including airlines and cruise lines.
What’s remarkable about this milestone is the speed at which Starlink has been able to attract new customers. The service hit 1 million subscribers in December 2022, 2 million by September 2023, and just two months later, it added another million, crossing the 3 million mark in May 2024. Now, just a few months later, the company has hit the 4 million customer milestone, a testament to its growing popularity and demand. According to industry experts at Quilty Space, Starlink is on track to generate $6.6 billion in revenue this year, a massive leap from the $1.4 billion it generated just two years ago.
Starlink’s meteoric rise is part of SpaceX’s broader strategy to commercialize space and fund future explorations. Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, has long emphasized that revenue from Starlink’s broadband internet service is crucial for developing the Starship, SpaceX’s massive reusable rocket. Starship, in turn, will enable SpaceX to launch more Starlink satellites at an even faster rate, ensuring the service’s continued growth and dominance in the satellite internet space.
Starlink has quickly established itself as the leader in satellite internet, outpacing older competitors like Viasat and SES, whose large satellites operate in higher geostationary orbits. While other players, such as Amazon’s Project Kuiper, are developing satellite internet constellations, they have yet to launch their services commercially. For now, Starlink is in a league of its own, rapidly expanding its reach and customer base.
Starlink’s Impact in Africa
In Africa, Starlink’s rollout has been met with a mix of excitement and caution. The continent has long struggled with limited internet access, particularly in rural and remote areas where traditional internet infrastructure is either non-existent or unreliable. Starlink’s promise of fast, reliable internet has the potential to revolutionize connectivity in these underserved regions.
Several African countries have begun to experience the benefits of Starlink firsthand. For example, in Nigeria, where the service became available in 2022, it has rapidly gained traction, ascending to the position of the third-largest Internet Service Provider (ISP) by the early months of 2024. Before Starlink, many Nigerians in remote areas relied on slow, inconsistent internet from mobile networks or expensive satellite services with limited bandwidth. Starlink, with its lower-latency satellites, offers a much-improved experience, making it a game-changer for both individual users and businesses alike. It is now embarking on an ambitious project to boost internet connectivity in the country with the establishment of ground stations across approximately 29,000 acres of land distributed among three Nigerian states.
Similarly, since its introduction in Kenya, early adopters of Starlink have expressed satisfaction with the service’s performance. Users have highlighted its ease of installation and the dramatic improvement in internet speeds, which has allowed for smoother video conferencing, online learning, and more reliable streaming services. However, the high cost of the service remains a barrier for many potential customers.
In September 2024, it introduced a budget-friendly Starlink-Mini plan. This new option significantly lowers the entry barrier for satellite internet, with hardware kits now available for a much more affordable KSh 27,000. This initiative is anticipated to heighten competition in Kenya’s broadband market, especially against Safaricom, the nation’s largest internet service provider.
Despite the cost challenges, Starlink’s entry into Africa marks a significant shift in the continent’s internet landscape. As more users share their positive experiences, the service is expected to expand its footprint across Africa, potentially unlocking new economic opportunities for remote regions previously disconnected from the digital world. For SpaceX, this is just the beginning, as it aims to provide global connectivity and bridge the digital divide in places that need it the most.
