Billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink is set to launch satellite internet services in 23 African countries in 2023, including Morocco. The company has scheduled the launch based on the time needed to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals in the respective countries.
Starlink is now available on all continents. In September last year, the number of Starlink connection kits worldwide passed the one million mark. Launched at the end of 2020, Elon Musk’s service provides Internet access, especially in areas poorly served by fixed and mobile networks, antenna and modem purchases, as well as subscriptions, including prices, vary by country.
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Needless to say, SpaceX, its parent company, has continued to expand the Starlink service. In total, it has deployed more than 3,000 Starlink satellites since 2019 and is making about one launch per week using its own Falcon 9 rockets to speed up the deployment of its constellation. And the company doesn’t intend to stop there, as it plans to launch up to 42,000 satellites to offer broadband from space, with the regular sending of new satellites needed to maintain a sufficient quality of service.
Thus, as part of its parent company SpaceX’s ambition to bring broadband connectivity to every part of the planet, including the most remote and landlocked areas, which are therefore difficult for mobile operators to reach, Starlink is determined more than ever to follow its African expansion strategy. . It was in 2021 that the company began to develop the African satellite Internet market, starting negotiations with the authorities of some African countries in order to obtain the necessary permits to provide its services there. The company has already received licenses in Mozambique, Nigeria and Malawi in February, May and October 2022, respectively.
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For 2023, Elon Musk’s company expects much more: it announces the launch of its services in 23 African countries, including Morocco. To this end, a launch schedule was drawn up based on the time needed to obtain the necessary regulatory approvals in the respective countries. The Kingdom and Mauritania are currently the only countries on Starlink’s radar. From now on, billionaire Elon Musk’s company is offering Moroccan consumers to order their Starlink. “Starlink is targeting coverage in your area in 2023. Availability is subject to regulatory approval. Bookings will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis, the operator displays about the Kingdom, which requires a $99 deposit on order of booking.
As of September 2021, the Starlink service served customers in a dozen countries, and by February 2022, their number had grown to 25 countries. Today, the network is available in about 40 states. In addition to the United States and parts of Australia, the list of countries where Starlink is currently available also includes the UK, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and, outside of Europe, parts of Chile and Brazil. Almost all of South America, Africa, and parts of Asia should soon use Starlink services.
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It remains to be seen whether this service, which requires you to pay $499 for equipment (a dish, tripod, power cable, and router) and then $99 a month for a connection, is not very far from a Moroccan powerhouse. Especially since Musk is promoting this SpaceX service as a solution that can connect areas not covered by optical fiber or 3G and 4G frequencies.