Starlink to launch ground station in Mozambique by March end

Starlink, the satellite internet service provider (ISP) that is aggressively expanding into Africa, will launch its ground station in Mozambique by the end of March 2025.

The ground station acts like a direct bridge between Starlink satellites and local users, reducing lag and ensuring a more stable internet connection. It will also strengthen Starlink’s connectivity in remote areas of Mozambique, where traditional broadband options are limited.

Since Starlink entered into Africa in 2023, it has expanded rapidly, now operating in 18 countries—despite hitting regulatory roadblocks in Southern Africa—with two ground stations on the continent; one in Nigeria, the other in Kenya.

It appears Starlink is increasing the number of ground stations in regions where internet blackouts and slow speeds are common. In January 2025, it launched a ground station in Kenya after upscale areas like Nairobi experienced network instability in November 2024. Plans are also underway to build another ground station in Zambia this year, which will bring the total to four.

The ISP will have at least one ground station in three of the regions where it currently operates: Western Africa, Eastern Africa, and Southern Africa. Starlink does not operate in Africa's north and central regions, making these areas a low priority. However, since the company doesn't hold a licence in Southern Africa’s biggest market—South Africa—it is using this tactic to make connectivity stronger for its “illegal” roaming users there. While it previously stopped offering services to them, some have managed to reconnect by accessing roaming services in neighboring countries.

Starlink won’t mind as this temporarily solves its problem, but how long will this last? Either way, the ground station is a win for Africa—especially since Europe, with fewer countries and a smaller landmass, has at least 22 ground stations.