MTN Uganda starts selling Starlink satellite internet to businesses in remote areas

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MTN Uganda has started selling Starlink satellite internet to businesses and institutions, aiming at customers in parts of the country where fibre and mobile networks are limited or unavailable.

The operator announced the launch of MTN Starlink for Business on Saturday, October 24, at Libra International School in Zirobwe, which has been using the service under a trial arrangement.

Reseller deal with local support

MTN Uganda said it is an authorised reseller of Starlink products. It will pair Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit satellite service with its own installation, account management and customer support.

The company said the product is meant for organisations that cannot get conventional connections, “including locations where mobile network coverage or fibre infrastructure is limited, difficult to deploy or unavailable.” Customers can use it as their main connection, as a backup to an existing line, or where a link has to be set up quickly.

MTN Uganda chief executive Sylvia Mulinge said the service was designed to sit alongside the company’s existing offerings rather than replace them.

“At MTN, we believe that where you are located should not determine how far you can go. Through our partnership with Starlink, we are combining Low-Earth-Orbit satellite technology with MTN’s local implementation, account management and customer support to serve enterprises in remote, underserved and hard-to-reach areas,” she said.

The company did not publish prices, data plans or equipment costs in its announcement. It asked interested businesses to apply through an online enquiry form, call 100 or email its customer service team.

A school outside town

Libra International School was used to show how the service works in practice. Its director, William Sekabembe, said the school had struggled to get a suitable connection because of its location outside the main urban centres.

“Connectivity was a major challenge for us because we are an international school focused on using technology to improve learning. We tried different solutions, including boosters, but they were not efficient enough for our needs. The interventions were also expensive,” he said.

He said poor connections had affected lessons, online research, communication with parents and access to the school’s digital systems.

“Ever since we started the proof of concept with Starlink through MTN, it has really been a big milestone for us. The students can do their research much more easily, and communication with parents has improved because now it is just at the click of a button. Our examination and school management systems are also working more efficiently,” Sekabembe said.

According to MTN, the connection now covers the whole campus, including the computer rooms. Sekabembe described the speed as “fantastic” and the reliability as “top of the range”.

Sectors in view

Beyond schools, MTN said the service could be used in healthcare, tourism, agriculture, mining, energy, construction and humanitarian work, especially where teams, facilities or projects are far from conventional networks. It listed communication between remote teams, access to cloud systems, digital service delivery and business continuity among the uses.

The company said the right solution would depend on each organisation’s location, operations and connectivity needs, and that the satellite product forms part of a wider range that includes mobile, fibre and managed network services.

MTN Uganda linked the launch to its Ambition 2030 strategy, which it describes as focused on “leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress”. It said combining satellite technology with its local presence widens the options for organisations that want to take a fuller part in the digital economy.