Telecom giants, Airtel Uganda have started piloting a satellite direct-to phone internet service in the Ugandan market.
The satellite direct-to phone service allows standard, unmodified commercial smartphones to connect directly to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites.
Operating like cell towers in space, these satellites bypass terrestrial infrastructure to eliminate cellular dead zones, bringing basic text, voice, and data to remote regions and challenging topographies.
Speaking at a function where Airtel was handing over sh42.9 billion to the Uganda Communications Universal Service and Access Fund, UCC Executive Director, Nyombi Thembo said the telecom company is piloting the service in Murchison Falls National Park.
“Two weeks back we approved a pilot undertaken by Airtel to operationalise direct to customer satellite service. They(Airtel) are piloting it in Murchison Falls National Park . It means a lot. When everything is okay, who knows it will be possible to launch this service from satellite to customers,” Thembo said on Monday.
“We are sure it will happen because we signed the licence with Starlink internet services to start operating satellite services in Uganda. “
The UCC Executive Director described this as a huge milestone in the telecommunication sector in the country.
“With satellite services we will solve the important issue of connectivity. It means connectivity will be everywhere all the time in Uganda. Whether Kisoro down in hill, whether at the tip in Kidepo, Buvuma islands, Kassanda or Kyankwanzi you will now have a signal. With this service, Airtel is pioneering, it will be seamless and you won’t know you are moving from terrestrial network to satellite . Where the network is bad, you will be switched automatically to satellite.”
Speaking at the same function, Airtel Uganda Managing Director, Soumendra Sahu said the company continues to make significant strides through strategic partnerships that will not only expand network coverage across Uganda but also enhance seamless connectivity for customers.
“Our partnership with Starlink is now a reality, and we have entered the testing phase of the Direct-to-Cell system, which we believe will be a game changer for communication in Uganda,” Soumendra said.
The development comes on the backdrop of the grant of operating licence to Starlink by the Uganda Communications Commission last week.
Last year, Airtel Africa and SpaceX's Starlink partnered to introduce satellite-to-mobile connectivity across Airtel's 14 African markets, including Uganda.
The agreement aimed at bringing high-speed satellite internet and direct-to-cell services to remote and under-served areas without relying on traditional ground masts.