Elon Musk's Starlink has suspended new customer sign-ups in eight Kenyan counties, including Nairobi and Mombasa, due to capacity constraints. The suspension is a third consecutive month for these areas, with prospective subscribers being redirected to a waiting list. The affected counties are Nairobi, Kiambu, Mombasa, Machakos, Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Kwale, and Kilifi. This move has been attributed to the company's struggle to keep pace with demand in urban and peri-urban regions.
According to data from the Communications Authority of Kenya, Starlink's subscriber base grew 58.5% year-on-year to reach 27,616 fixed internet subscriptions by June 2026. This growth was achieved despite intermittent capacity limitations that have forced the company to halt new connections. The data also shows that Starlink dominates the satellite internet segment with a 99.7% share, but its overall footprint in Kenya's fixed internet market remains modest.
Starlink's 27,616 subscriptions represent just 1% of the country's 2.84 million total fixed connections, leaving it well behind established terrestrial providers. Safaricom commands the largest share of the fixed internet market at 36.1%, with approximately 1.02 million subscriptions. Jamii Telecommunications, which operates under the Faiba brand, holds second place with 541,003 subscriptions, equivalent to 19.1% of the market.
The current freeze is not the first time Starlink has encountered this problem in Kenya. Towards the end of 2024, the company halted new orders in Nairobi and surrounding counties following similar capacity constraints. That restriction remained in place for roughly seven months before new sign-ups were permitted again in June 2025.
The recurrence of the issue in densely populated areas suggests that the company's existing satellite network infrastructure is struggling to keep pace with demand in urban and peri-urban regions. Starlink has added 10,000 customers in the past few months, contributing to the capacity constraints. The company has kept new customer registrations on hold across the eight Kenyan counties for a third straight month.
The suspension of new sign-ups has affected residents in the eight counties, who are being redirected to a waiting list rather than being allowed to proceed with new subscriptions. This has caused inconvenience to those who want to access the internet through Starlink. The company has not provided a timeline for when new sign-ups will resume in these areas.
The impact of the suspension on Starlink's business and the Kenyan internet market remains to be seen. With a growing demand for internet services, Starlink's capacity constraints highlight the need for the company to invest in its infrastructure to meet the increasing demand. The Kenyan government and regulatory bodies may also need to intervene to ensure that internet services are accessible and affordable for all.
Key points
- Starlink's suspension of new sign-ups in 8 Kenyan counties due to capacity constraints
- Starlink's 27,616 fixed internet subscriptions represent 1% of Kenya's total fixed connections
- The suspension has affected residents in Nairobi, Kiambu, Mombasa, Machakos, Murang'a, Kirinyaga, Kwale, and Kilifi counties
