Harare residents eager to connect to Starlink’s high-speed satellite internet are facing a frustrating reality: the service is oversubscribed. Starlink has changed Harare’s status from “Available Now” to “Expanding Q3 2024”.
Harare is now fully oversubscribed on Starlink. This means there are more people who want Starlink than Starlink can currently handle.
People in Harare looking to get Starlink have to wait until Starlink has added more capacity to its satellite-based internet services. Essentially, adding more satellites and improving its technology.
The rest of Zimbabwe remains available to customers who want to get Starlink.
This is not unique to Zimbabwe. The capital cities of a few African countries where Starlink has launched are over subscribed. Lusaka (Zambia), Nairobi (Kenya), Lagos (Nigeria) are all at capacity. Nigeria is unique though in that several more cities are at capacity: Abuja, Kano, Port Harcourt, and a place called Warri.
Would-be customers are on a waitlist, with some having to wait until 2025.
Starlink is not designed for densely populated areas
Starlink itself is on record saying that its satellite internet service is not designed for densely populated areas. The company states that such areas are better served by other technologies such as Fibre, and LTE.
Starlink is best used in sparsely populated places like rural areas. Places where the city technologies like fibre struggle to reach due to the costs of laying the infrastructure.
But the company has also said that it is working to improve its technology to take into account the reality of high demand for Starlink even people in cities want to use Starlink
What to do if you are in Harare?
Frankly, if you want Starlink in Harare, the best is to wait.
Previously you would get advised to sign up for the Business package, but even that now will just be a reservation and not an order.
There is of course the option to order for another area and then signing up for the $100 monthly Roam package. While this will work, chances are that your speed experience in Harare will not be as good as what you’d get outside Harare. There are lots of complaints already in the past few days of people getting very slow Starlink internet.
And besides, if you have to pay $100 a month for Starlink, could there be other services in Harare from established ISPs that could match that price? You could for example consider Econet’s SmartBiz or packages from TelOne, Utande, Powertel or Liquid.
In conclusion, if you’re in Harare, weigh your options carefully. Starlink might be a good choice eventually, but for now, explore alternatives and stay informed about Starlink’s expansion plans. Those outside Harare have nothing to worry about for now.
Comments
38 responses
4 months using Dolphin Telecoms.
Speeds are fast. $55 or $70 per month unlimited. Upto 30mbps. Sometimes up to 60Mbps. Its very reliable so far.
What is dolphin telecoms
We use it at Madokero Creek Fibre. Its on Liquid, so far so good. 100mbps
I think its because many dont even know what a Dolphin Telecom and you are very few in that pool.
Dude where did you get dolphins equipment from? Is it good for online gaming
Your can reach their whatsapp contact centre number on +263 71 784 8204
Yes inoita zvese
Econet handed a lifeline here. They never cared much about the rural folks. Rural folks wont buy starlink.
Not so sure about that, there were rural folks on the starlink Zimbabwe Facebook page enquiring how to go about putting down a service address, when there are none in the kumusha, but it can be done, with gps coordinates and the name of the area
So, according to technological development, Africa is still a jungle! With the use of off-grid solar systems, boreholes and burning of waste, we can only pretend city life. Starlink has said how they expect telecommunications setups to be between rural areas and urban areas, showing that most of the so called urban areas are more of mixed areas.
Long story short: Harare is f****d. But I bet things will improve cause Elon knows our challenges in Africa. In Africa, Internet i goridhe, so by end of year I’m positive he’ll have a couple more satellites launched.
Even without electricity the whole day, the system is still at full capacity?? Everyone has back up power now?
Capacity means the number of subscribers who have their accounts created for starlink internet access, even if they have no power, their position for internet access is set, so there are no more seats or positions left for more subscribers to be given. Those already given positions or seats for internet access in Harare, are not experiencing very good speeds, but decent or low speeds, some are experiencing good speeds, but those are a few.
Yes he means if you are on the Roaming. It is mentioned on the article that even if you’re on the roaming package you’ll still get low speeds due to capacity. But Kelaq09’s question is do you still experience poor speed due to a limited number of people who have access to backup power. My bet is even at capacity you can still get fairly usable speed if you’re on the roaming package. The problem with these other ISP is reliability liquid was acting up these past days. You don’t get that with starlink. Even at capacity I’m comfortable with 30mb/s-50mb/s if it’s a reliable network like starlink.
Just subscribed to Business $71
It’s not at capacity
It may not be at capacity, but you might experience low speeds, unless being the business package it is prioritized, so it has good speeds
You will only use 40GB of priority data for $71. After that it’s God bless you! You will be back to the slow speeds again😂
I have an option to buy a Starlink from my Harare account though
How is that possible
How is that possible,nn
Very heartbreaking and dissapointng we hope starlink will hear our cries and allow us access as soon as possible… We hope and pray
You should have acted very quickly the first time you heard starlink was in Zim, that is why it’s already at capacity, people raced and acted quick, even before month-end of September😂😂😂
Haaa people who haven’t purchased starlink already, they might have to wait and weigh their options . Otherwise we are very unlucky on this one, starlink ndeyekuisa kuFarm at the moment.
Is Ruwa part of harare? Are we safe?
The last time I checked about a ago Ruwa was at capacity
Takutoisa starlink kuno paKitsiyatota Bindura apana zveCapacity kkkkkkk online nemakorokoza
so on this issue I think liquid will do …. because its going to be a while without capacity
Liquid prioritized some affluent low density suburbs of Harare and those customers are likely to have abandoned Liquid and are now on Starlink. The most affected by lack of capacity on Starlink are high density areas that Liquid neglected. The situation now for Liquid is their prime customers most likely have left for Starlink. The area where there are abundant customers is still in the high density areas that they had neglected when they had capital to set up the infrastructure.
Join the que. Some people have placed orders but will fail to pay. Use roaming. I think I will still be better off that going back to those old players. Never again.
What about those who have paid balance and waiting for email and from DHL? Are we also being affected? Been a week no email yet
Ndimika maiti masses will not afford
Refund iri kuuya zveku mhanya here pa starlink
This article is false.
Me surprised to see Chitungwiza’s status is Available. Oh, forget that, What has the new dispensation done for your economic well-being?
The only reason Starlink is over subscribed is because ISPs worldwide normally underserve far reaching and isolated areas. Our boys have been charging top dollar for mediocre service. Local ISPs need to do more to make their services better and more affordable quickly before Starlink solves for the density limitations. Harare is not even top 20 most densely populated in Africa.
I think this will open Elon Musk’s eyes where the real money is which is the highly populated cities. Starlink’s targeted market was remote areas normally ignored by many ISPs. If he can come up with the solution to service highly populated cities he is going to make tons money.
Never forget that Elon Musk and his various companies are US intel and military contractors. ✌🏾
Good afternoon. Is it possible to change an existing Starlink account from roaming to domestic please? I live in Kadoma
I find it difficult to understand how Starlink could be oversubscribed in Harare while other satellite serice providers like DSTV don’t have similar problems.