Starlink, a satellite internet constellation that is set to be introduced in Rwanda this month, is known to be suited for places where connectivity is a challenge. Unbounded by traditional ground infrastructure, Starlink can deliver high-speed internet to locations where access has been unreliable or completely unavailable. With this, The New Times looks at some businesses that will be relieved to have such a kind of internet in the country. Mining companies Mining sites are often located in remote areas where it would be hard to have a good signal of terrestrial internet. Companies involved in mining might be among those that are expected to take up Starlink internet with both hands once it gets operational in Rwanda. “I am going to order it as soon as it is available,” Luke Rogers, Mining Consultant and Operations Executive working in rural areas of Rwanda, told The New Times. He added: “It seems perfect for Africa or any location with limited fiber optic connectivity.” Farming enterprises in rural areas For Phillip Opperman, a South African businessman who runs a fish farm and a restaurant around Lake Muhazi in the Eastern Province, a key aspect of Starlink that he is really happy about is that it can provide connectivity to such an area where it was hard to get fiber internet signals. “To me, it is not much about speed, but connectivity. Here at Muhazi, the internet I use gives me one megabyte per second yet I pay Rwf 12,000 per month,” he said. Hotels in remote areas As Rwanda’s hospitality sector continues to grow, more hotels, guest houses, and hospitality spots are getting established in rural areas. These are some of the businesses that might be finding it hard to get good internet signals. With Starlink, these businesses are expected to be relieved. Speaking to The New Times, the Director of Infrastructure, Skills, and Empowerment at Smart Africa, Thelma Quaye, said: “The hard-to-reach areas where the conventional terrestrial solution like fiber, microwave or mobile broadband cannot reach, is where the Star link internet will be most useful. However, it doesn’t mean that the already covered areas cannot enjoy this new service, what will happen is that in the urban or semi-urban areas where connectivity already exists, this new connection helps to break the monopoly and brings good competition which serves the consumer very well.” Schools, hospitals Schools and hospitals are located in different remote areas of the country, some of which are hard to be reached by terrestrial internet. “During the pandemic era, schools, communities, hospitals, and homes which did not have or could not afford internet, were those that were hard hit, in terms of access to basic services. This intervention means that Schools, hospitals, and homes in the hard-to-reach areas do not have to struggle to evolve and use technology which has been proven to be more efficient,” Quaye said. Transport companies Public transport vehicles that travel to different parts of the country may always find it hard to have a stable internet connection onboard throughout the journey. With Starlink internet, that is one of the problems that may be solved so that people onboard can have stable internet during their journeys.
