Zimbabwe’s satellite internet sector is undergoing a significant shift, largely driven by the arrival of Starlink, the Low Earth Orbit LEO satellite internet provider operated by SpaceX.
According to the latest subscriber statistics by the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe POTRAZ, VSAT subscriptions, under which Starlink services are classified, rose from 3,814 in Q3 2024 to 23,410 in Q4, marking a 513.79% increase.
This growth continued into Q1 2025, with subscriptions rising a further 32.02% to 30,907.
The sharp rise reflects the rapid uptake of Starlink’s satellite internet service following its official launch in Zimbabwe in September 2024.
Although Starlink has seen strong uptake across Zimbabwe since its launch, the service remains officially unavailable for new activations in much of the country, particularly in key urban areas such as Harare and its surroundings.
Zimbabwe is currently the only African market where Starlink’s availability is restricted, largely due to capacity limitations.
This presents a notable constraint in a country where demand for reliable and affordable internet access remains high.
Recent trends suggest that the limited availability of Starlink services could significantly impact subscriber growth, resulting in fewer new activations, as observed in markets such as Kenya and Nigeria.
The situation presents a clear bottleneck while Starlink aims for rapid uptake in key markets such as Zimbabwe, this ambition may need to be supported by timely infrastructure upgrades.
Without such measures, the risk of stagnation or decline in subscriber numbers becomes increasingly likely.
Source: https://spaceinafrica.com/2025/07/03/starlink-drives-500-growth-in-vsat-subscriptions-in-zimbabwe-since-launch/