MTN Uganda has started offering Starlink satellite internet to businesses, schools and other institutions in underserved parts of the country where conventional mobile and fibre networks provide limited or no connectivity.
The service, branded MTN Starlink for Business, was launched on Wednesday, October 21, at Libra International School in Zirobwe, where the telecommunications company had been testing the satellite internet connection.
MTN Uganda Chief Executive Officer Sylvia Mulinge said the service would help organisations overcome geographical barriers that have limited their access to reliable internet, particularly in areas beyond the reach of traditional telecommunications infrastructure.
“At MTN, we believe that where you are located should not determine how far you can go,”Mulinge said.
She said the satellite service would complement MTN’s existing mobile and fibre internet offerings, giving businesses the option of using Starlink as their primary connection, a backup service or a solution for locations where internet connectivity is urgently needed.
MTN Uganda said it would provide the service as an authorised reseller of Starlink products, offering installation, account management and customer support to clients locally.
Starlink, a satellite internet service operated by SpaceX, uses a network of satellites in low Earth orbit to deliver internet connectivity, making it suitable for locations where extending fibre cables or building conventional network infrastructure is difficult or costly.
The service is expected to benefit organisations operating in sectors such as education, healthcare, tourism, agriculture, mining, energy, construction and humanitarian work, where dependable internet access is increasingly necessary for daily operations.
At Libra International School, director William Sekabembe said the institution had struggled to obtain reliable internet because of its location outside major urban centres.
He said the school had previously tried solutions such as signal boosters, but they were expensive and failed to adequately address its connectivity needs.
“Connectivity was a major challenge for us because we are an international school focused on using technology to improve learning,” Sekabembe said.
He said unreliable internet had affected classroom activities, online research, communication with parents and the operation of the school’s digital management systems.
According to Sekabembe, the introduction of Starlink during the trial period had improved the learning environment, making it easier for students to conduct research and enabling the school to communicate more effectively with parents.
He said the connection had also improved the performance of examination and administrative systems, with internet access now available across the campus, including computer rooms.
Sekabembe described the connection’s speed as fantastic and its reliability as top of the range.
The launch comes as telecommunications operators and technology providers explore alternative ways of extending internet access to communities and institutions that remain underserved by conventional infrastructure.
For businesses operating in remote locations, satellite connectivity can reduce dependence on ground-based networks and provide an alternative where establishing fibre connections or maintaining consistent mobile coverage is challenging.
MTN Uganda said the initiative was aligned with its Ambition 2030 strategy, which seeks to expand digital connectivity and support the use of technology across different sectors of the economy.
The company did not disclose the prices of the Starlink packages or installation costs at the time of the launch.
MTN Uganda reported 24.2 million subscribers and 12 million active data users for the period ended December 31, 2025.
