Sierra Leone became the tenth African country to use Starlink satellite internet service, one year after it granted the company a license.
Officials in the country hope the new access to the internet via starlink will improve internet penetration for the population.
Nearly 21% of Sierra Leone’s population had access to the internet in 2023. Starlink services are expected to help boost that rate to 40.1% by the end of 2024.
Starlink is particularly well-suited for rural and underserved areas where traditional internet infrastructure is often lacking.
Starlink provides broadband internet access through a network of thousands of satellites positioned close to Earth (about 550 km above the surface). Unlike traditional geostationary satellites, Starlink’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites offer faster and more reliable connectivity.