‪Safaricom To Build Its Own Subsea Cable To Counter Starlink’s Growing Competition ‬

Safaricom is planning to build its own subsea cable to compete with Elon Musk’s Starlink.

This move comes as Safaricom seeks to enhance its internet services and maintain its market lead amid growing competition.

The subsea cable will provide high-speed internet and improve connectivity, reducing reliance on third-party providers.

These cables are the backbone of the global internet, carrying the bulk of international communications, including email, webpages and video calls Safaricom is seeking more bandwidth as it expands in the fast-growing data segment in the face of slower growth from the voice business.

According to reports, Safaricom is seeking approval from the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) to build its own undersea cable as part of its strategy to expand and improve internet connectivity in the region.

Starlink has become an enormous competitor to Safaricom in the Kenyan market. Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, uses low-earth orbit satellites to deliver high-speed internet, making it an appealing solution for areas with limited access to traditional broadband infrastructure. Its ability to reach remote and underserved regions has created a niche market.

Currently, Safaricom relies on third parties for connections to the undersea cables.