AfriPulse
Amazon has taken a major step toward entering Africa’s competitive broadband market by applying for regulatory approval to launch its satellite internet service in Kenya through its local subsidiary, Kuiper Kenya Limited.
According to a notice published by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK), the tech giant seeks a Network Facilities Provider (NFP) Tier 2 license. This matches the exact regulatory category SpaceX’s Starlink currently uses to operate within the country. If the CAK approves the application, the multi-year license, which typically grants a 15-year operational period, will clear Amazon to build and operate vital communications infrastructure and directly deliver broadband services across Kenya.
While the application moves through Kenya’s standard telecommunications licensing framework, Amazon has yet to confirm an official commercial launch date. Industry analysts expect a rollout once the company secures full regulatory clearance and ensures terminal availability in the region.
The early service deployment will likely align with the broader rollout window for Project Kuiper (also branded globally as Amazon Leo), which plans to ramp up satellite activations progressively. This Kenyan filing forms a core piece of Amazon’s global strategy to deploy a constellation of more than 3,200 low Earth orbit satellites by 2028.
Once active, the service aims to deliver broadband speeds of up to 400 Mbps through user terminal kits, aggressively targeting rural and underserved areas that lack traditional fiber coverage. This entry will trigger a direct, high-stakes battle with Starlink, which has already established a strong foothold in the country.
By late 2025, Starlink had rapidly scaled its user base to more than 22,000 subscribers, making it Kenya’s eighth-largest internet service provider thanks to flexible pricing models and high demand in rural areas.
Amazon has actively laid the groundwork for this face-off, sending an Amazon Leo delegation led by Farouk Shamas Jiwa, Senior Manager for International Public Policy, to meet with John Kipchumba Tanui, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for ICT and Digital Economy, to discuss bridging the digital divide through satellite technology.
Securing the license will allow Amazon to legally deploy its infrastructure, with ground station and user terminal rollouts following shortly after. However, satellite deployment progress and final regulatory nods will ultimately dictate when commercial service goes live.
If successful, Kenya will become one of the first African markets where Starlink and Amazon Kuiper operate side-by-side. This dual presence could accelerate satellite broadband competition, lower costs, and drastically improve connectivity across the nation.
Source: NairobiWire.com | Read the Full Story…
