Plan tiers: what actually changes between them
For current kit and plan pricing, check Starlink's official Kenya pricing directly. Pricing and availability shift, and Starlink sets these numbers, not us.
- Residential: the standard home/office plan, priced for individual premises use, generally not intended for commercial resale or network-sharing
- Roam: built for mobility (vehicles, temporary sites), typically at a data or priority cost trade-off versus a fixed Residential connection
- Business/Priority: higher cost, but designed for the commercial, higher-uptime use case that a WISP or business genuinely needs
2026's regulatory shift: why this matters for "is it worth it"
Kenya restructured its satellite licensing in 2026. Operators transmitting telecommunications signals into Kenya via satellite infrastructure now need an International Gateway Systems and Services (IGSS) licence, costing KES 15 million for a 15-year term or KES 45 million for a 25-year term, plus an annual fee of 0.4% of turnover with a KES 4 million minimum. A separate Landing Rights Authorisation (LRA) covers any company transmitting signals into Kenya via satellite or submarine cable, at $25,000 for a 15-year licence plus a $500 application fee, and depending on the services offered, an operator may need both.
This applies at the operator level, SpaceX and other satellite providers, not directly to individual subscribers. But it replaces a flat licensing regime that cost roughly KES 1.6 million, a sharp increase that is a real cost pressure worth watching if you are weighing Starlink for a long-term business commitment in Kenya.
Realistic speeds in Kenya: Nairobi vs rural sites
Speed and latency depend on satellite coverage density and local network congestion, both of which vary by area and time of day. Check current published performance figures for your specific location rather than assuming a single national number.
Is it worth it compared to fibre or wireless?
Starlink's advantage is reach, it works where fibre and terrestrial wireless cannot. Where fibre is already available, it typically wins on cost-per-month and consistency.
Sources: Tech-ish Kenya: satellite licensing fees explained, Communications Authority of Kenya — figures are set by third parties and reviewed periodically; confirm current numbers before relying on them.