Airtel customers in Congo can now text via satellite without a dish

Airtel Africa and Starlink have commercially launched satellite-to-mobile connectivity in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the first such deployment anywhere in Africa, the companies confirmed on 14 August 2026.

What the service does

The service lets Airtel customers with compatible smartphones connect directly to Starlink satellites without a dish or separate satellite device. Coverage is currently limited to SMS and light-data applications such as WhatsApp, rather than full high-bandwidth use. As TechLabari put it: "For now, the capability is narrow."

Eligible customers can sign up through the MyAirtel app and receive a 30-day free trial during the launch period, after which access continues through eligible Airtel data plans, according to Airtel Africa.

Why the DRC launch matters

The DRC is the first Airtel Africa market — and the first country in Africa — where the service has reached commercial deployment, the company said. The rollout is aimed at areas without terrestrial network coverage, where towers are absent or unreliable. This positions basic connectivity as an enabling layer for rural customers, field operations, and SME communication beyond major urban hubs.

The broader African rollout remains approval-dependent by country, so the DRC launch should be treated as a country-specific milestone rather than a continent-wide regulatory green light. Reuters reported in December 2025 that Airtel Africa and SpaceX had agreed to roll out Starlink direct-to-cell across all 14 markets in 2026, subject to national approvals. As of May 2025, Starlink was licensed in nine of Airtel Africa's 14 countries, with the remaining five still under process.

What happened before the launch

Airtel Africa and SpaceX announced their strategic partnership in December 2025. Starlink Direct-to-Cell testing had previously taken place in Kenya in March 2026, according to Developing Telecoms. The DRC launch may serve as a template for other Airtel Africa markets, with the company intending to use lessons from the rollout to support progressive expansion elsewhere.

Coverage of the launch appeared in Ground News, the Congolese outlet Actualite.cd, and financial data platform TradingView. A video briefing is also available on YouTube.

What's next

Expansion to Airtel Africa's other 13 markets remains dependent on local regulatory approval and spectrum arrangements in each country. No executive spokesperson was named for the DRC launch, and no separate timeline has been confirmed for the next commercial deployment.