Mobile operator Airtel said it will use satellite technology provided by Elon Musk’s SpaceX to enhance voice and text messaging services in its 14 African markets.
Airtel has provided voice, text, and internet services to mobile phone users in Africa for more than a decade through terrestrial cell towers and subsea fiber optic cables, but has tapped SpaceX’s services this year to ramp up its capability. The latest partnership will see Airtel rely on SpaceX’s low-Earth orbit Starlink satellites that function as aerial cell towers, enabling direct texting features for users in countries where Airtel is available.
SpaceX began launching 600 direct-to-cell Starlink satellites in 2024, a constellation separate from the more than 8,000 satellites that provide internet access. The company is among the world’s largest 4G coverage providers with more than six million users.