Amazon Takes on Starlink as It Seeks Satellite Internet Licence in Kenya

Amazon, owned by Jeff Bezos, has officially applied for a licence to roll out satellite internet in Kenya through its local unit, Amazon Kuiper Kenya Limited. This puts it in direct competition with Elon Musk’s Starlink.

The Kenyan entity is part of Amazon Leo, the company’s low-earth orbit satellite broadband network, formerly known as Project Kuiper. The name “Kuiper” comes from the Kuiper Belt, a region beyond Neptune filled with icy bodies, used as the base name for the project.

Amazon plans to deploy over 3,200 satellites by 2028 to provide internet in areas where fibre and mobile networks are limited or unavailable. The aim is to expand internet access in remote and underserved regions. If approved by CA Kenya, the Tier 2 licence would allow Amazon Kuiper Kenya Limited to deploy and operate satellite internet services across the country.

Amazon’s satellite internet service is expected to offer up to 400 Mbps for standard users and 1,280 Mbps for commercial users. This is higher than Starlink, which offers up to 150 Mbps for standard users and up to 400 Mbps for higher plans.