Ah, the delights of high-speed internet access in South Sudan! It’s almost like handing a toddler a box of fireworks – thrilling, chaotic, and you just know it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
So here we are in the 21st century, and a student called Bona Bol Chadar is marveling at the wonders of Starlink, Elon Musk’s brainchild. He’s declaring it “the fastest Internet I’ve ever experienced since I was born!” Bless him! I daresay, if he’d been born in a cave with dial-up, he’s in for a real treat. Frankly, I’d be enthusiastic too if I went from snail mail to lightning speed – even if I had to wait for my package like I was ordering a bespoke suit from Savile Row.
Now, let’s give it to South Sudan; they’re taking a significant leap in the Internet revolution! South Sudan, the proud new owner of the second most expensive mobile Internet in Africa, is now given a glimmer of hope as Starlink arrives. Honestly, it’s like going from a flip phone to a state-of-the-art smartphone while the rest of the world is busy trying to figure out how to swipe right!
Yet, just when you think they’re off to the races, reality taps them on the shoulder and says, “Whoa there, cowboy!” With tariffs higher than a giraffe’s tongue and only 3% of the population having a bank account, getting online is going to be a bit like trying to win a game of chess while blindfolded. You can almost hear Marina Modi, our information verification specialist, exclaiming, “How do I even ORDER this stuff? It feels more complicated than a game show on Mars!”
But wait – there’s more! The local mobile operators must be sweating bullets. They’ve just raised their prices, which is basically like poking a bear with a stick. A very big, very angry bear! Starlink may be cheaper and faster, but these telecom giants will surely be plotting their comeback. After all, no one likes to lose their monopoly status like a kid losing his lunch money.
And, oh, the chaos of reselling! Apparently, everyone’s suddenly an “official reseller” with prices that make a high-priced auction look like a bargain bin at the thrift store. How delightful! You’ve got people selling hand-assembled Swiss watches for the price of a cheap wristband. Confusion reigns!
Napoleon Adok Gai, the director of the National Communication Authority, seems to think this can only end well: encouraging competition and lowering prices. Sure, but isn’t this also a double-edged sword? It’s one thing to stab the competition, but quite another when they stab back, and you’re left holding only the hilt!
Don’t you love how this whole thing revolves around the age-old adage of “build it, and they will come”? With 99% of the country lacking fiber optic, one could argue Starlink’s arrival is like providing life vests on a sinking ship – it might help, but that ship still needs to be fixed.
And as if we needed more drama, the big players in telecom are worried too. Moses Kimani Mbugua from Iptec practically begged to “partner with Starlink,” likely envisioning a corporate rom-com. “You complete me, Starlink!” he proclaims. Meanwhile, MTN’s CEO reminds us that they employ 40,000 people. That’s a lot of souls to be putting out of work just because Elon Musk fancied launching satellites into the sky!
Finally, let’s not forget our girl Again Yenki, ever the activist, who’s there thinking, “This Starlink may be the spice of life, but we really need to fix this infrastructure before we get ahead of ourselves!” It’s like putting sprinkles on a cake that’s still half-baked!
So, South Sudan’s journey into the digital age is both exciting and fraught with challenges that make “Mission Impossible” look like a walk in the park. Starlink moves in like a superhero, but can it really save the day? Stay tuned as we unveil this drama, because when it comes to Wi-Fi, in South Sudan, it seems the signal’s strong but the connection is a little shaky!
This is the fastest Internet I’ve ever experienced since I was born! Bona Bol Chadar, a dedicated student of information and communication technologies at the University of Juba in South Sudan’s capital, expressed palpable enthusiasm regarding Starlink, the satellite Internet access service provided by SpaceX, founded by the billionaire innovator Elon Musk. Officially accessible in South Sudan since August 22, this groundbreaking technology—utilizing satellites situated in low Earth orbit—had, in fact, made an inconspicuous yet impactful trial run in the region for over a year. Prior to its official launch, Starlink terminals had been smuggled across the border from neighboring Kenya, marking its covert entry following its operational debut there in July 2023.
The formal authorization from Juba authorities, combined with initial user reviews flooding social media platforms, has ignited widespread excitement among South Sudanese internet users, who have long endured prohibitive connectivity costs. Alarmingly, as reported by the statistics portal Statista, South Sudan has surfaced as the country with the second most expensive mobile Internet service in Africa.
The anticipation surrounding Starlink’s arrival is particularly pronounced following significant hikes in mobile Internet prices imposed by the country’s primary providers—Zain, MTN, and Digitel—during mid-October. Currently, with approximately 1,300 terminals in operation across a population of 10.5 million, Starlink’s presence remains nascent, but numerous users, frustrated by the rampant “hold-up” by current operators, have vowed to switch to this promising newcomer as soon as circumstances allow.
Connection three times cheaper
While many South Sudanese are heralding Starlink as a “revolution” for their nation, considerable questions linger regarding its implementation. As numerous self-styled Starlink resellers pop up in the market, some of them pricing their offerings at three times the official rates listed on Starlink’s site, “confusion” reigns, according to Marina Modi, an expert in information verification. Enthralled by the possibility of accessing a broadband connection at a price three times lower than her existing plan, which she describes as “very slow,” she is choosing to bide her time before finalizing her order.
“How to acquire this equipment seems as complicated as importing a car!” she laments. Buyers must contend with a cumbersome delivery period that stretches three to four weeks post-order, compounded by the requirement of obtaining a “letter of no objection” from the National Communication Authority (NCA) of South Sudan to finally take possession of the equipment and begin utilizing the service.
With an official price tag for the equipment ranging from $200 to $389 (or €184 to €358), in addition to a monthly subscription fee of $30 or $50, the service remains out of reach for a significant portion of the South Sudanese populace. The stark reality is that a mere 3% of South Sudan’s residents possess a bank account, and only 1% have access to a credit card, which is essential for placing the order. Nelson Kwaje, a communications technology expert and founder of Scenius Hub—a community space for youth in Juba—notes the multitude of obstacles to achieving the kind of expansive growth experienced by Starlink in the United States or even Kenya, where financial inclusion and digital literacy are far more prevalent.
Having gained independence in 2011 following decades of conflict, and subsequently plunging into internal strife from 2013 to 2018, South Sudan stands as an ideal candidate for Starlink’s services, as an estimated 99% of the nation remains unconnected to fiber networks. Notably, only the capital city of Juba has benefited from fiber connectivity since 2019, following the deployment of cable along the route from Uganda. In the office of NCA Director General Napoleon Adok Gai, a map reveals the scant telecommunications infrastructure across the country, with vast tracts lacking coverage, particularly in the eastern regions.
Delicate balancing act
By granting Starlink the green light to operate within its borders, Napoleon Adok Gai aims to “encourage competition among mobile network operators and Internet service providers, compelling them to reduce their prices” and enhance connectivity, especially in remote areas. However, this delicate maneuver is complicated by the fact that South Sudan’s telecommunications market is heavily reliant on private sector participation due to insufficient government funding and investment.
“Starlink is a threat to our business, but we hope to incorporate it into our offering,” stated Moses Kimani Mbugua, a representative for Iptec, one of South Sudan’s largest providers of Internet access for businesses. “The support we provide to our customers is what keeps them with us,” added his colleague David Maingi Musila. “Sure, Starlink is affordable, but when your device encounters connectivity issues, there’s often no one available to assist you right away.”
The CEO of MTN South Sudan, Ali Monzer, echoed similar sentiments during a public forum at Scenius Hub on October 24. He emphasized that MTN currently employs “40,000 people, directly or indirectly,” and serves six million customers holding MTN SIM cards, of which 600,000 utilize the company’s MoMo electronic payment service. He provocatively questioned, “Between Starlink and MTN, who needs who? Starlink doesn’t have a distribution network. I want to partner with Starlink to sell their service to businesses.” However, this proposal has thus far been declined by the NCA, which has only authorized a limited number of four official resellers in association with Starlink.
“Let’s be honest, Starlink is not affordable for ordinary people,” asserts Again Yenki, the founder of the Go Girls ICT Initiative, aimed at promoting access to technology for young girls. Considering the purchase of a Starlink kit to enhance her mentoring sessions in around twenty schools in Juba, which generally suffer from inadequacies in both Internet access and electricity, she stresses the desperate need for investment in the country’s telecommunications infrastructure. She expresses hope in a $67 million project financed by the World Bank, which aims to construct approximately 2,400 kilometers of optical fiber throughout South Sudan by 2028.
Argest telecom companies. His statement echoes a sentiment shared by many local providers who are now facing the reality of competition from Starlink, which operates under a model that doesn’t rely on the traditional infrastructure they have in place.
As various stakeholders navigate this new landscape, concerns around pricing structures persist. Reselling practices have exploded, leading to inflated prices that can far exceed the official rates set by Starlink. The chaos of the resale market makes it daunting for buyers who are often left with questions and uncertainties about the legitimacy of the deals. Despite the promise of lower prices and faster internet, users like Marina Modi are understandably hesitant to jump in.
Moreover, access to the required technology is still a pressing issue. With the combination of high initial costs, a lack of banking infrastructure, and the complicated ordering process, the challenges are steep. The irony is that while Starlink has the potential to dramatically improve internet access, the socioeconomic barriers in South Sudan could inhibit its widespread adoption.
For the larger telecom players, this situation compels them to reconsider their service offerings. Tapping into partnerships with Starlink might be a prudent strategy to adapt and survive rather than just react defensively to what could be an overwhelming disruption in the telecommunications landscape.
In the eyes of Again Yenki, the community activist, this development presents an opportunity to advocate for not just better internet access but a holistic approach to expanding and upgrading the country’s digital infrastructure. Her call to action is clear: before diving headfirst into new technologies, there must be a sustained investment in the foundational elements that will support them.
As South Sudan gears up for this digital revolution, eyes will be on how the interplay of local telecom giants, community needs, regulatory frameworks, and innovative technology will unfold. Will Starlink truly herald a new era, or will the complications of implementation overshadow its promises? Only time will tell, and the stakes are high for a nation keen to step into the modern age. The journey may be bumpy, but it’s undoubtedly a fascinating ride worth following.
