Paratus Uganda has become the first provider in the country to launch Starlink’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite service, three months after the Uganda Communications Commission granted SpaceX an operational licence.

The UCC signed a memorandum of understanding and operational licence agreement with Starlink on 15 May 2026. The launch gives enterprise customers in remote parts of Uganda access to high-speed, low-latency satellite connectivity.

Paratus Uganda launched last year as a joint venture between Paratus Group and Kampala-based internet service provider Roke Telkom. Since then it has supplied cross-border connectivity over the 2 000km protected Goma-to-Mombasa (G2M) route. Starlink adds to that offering, which is supported by Paratus Group’s east-west southern Africa backbone, redundancy solutions and value-added network services.

The company said it is activating a pipeline of customers across mining, healthcare, tourism, NGOs and government – sectors that frequently need dependable connectivity in remote and underserved areas.

“There has been significant demand for LEO services from enterprise customers who have been waiting for Starlink to become available in Uganda,” said Paratus Uganda country manager Edwin Kyambadde. “Now that Starlink is licensed, the hard work begins as we connect customers across the country. This is a powerful addition to our network and it’s a game-changer for businesses operating beyond traditional infrastructure reach.”

Paratus Group chief commercial officer Martin Cox said the licence approval supports the group’s strategy of building a contiguous, multi-layered network across Africa.

Borderless connectivity

“This is Paratus Group’s ninth country in Africa offering Starlink services,” he said. “Satellite plays a critical role in extending our reach into areas where terrestrial infrastructure is limited. With Starlink now available through Paratus Uganda, we can offer customers not only in Uganda but also across the East African region even greater resilience, faster deployment and truly borderless connectivity.”

About Paratus Uganda
Paratus Group launched Paratus Uganda through a joint venture with Roke Telkom, the Kampala-based internet service provider. Roke Telkom was established in 2006 and is licensed by the Uganda Communications Commission. It has 20 years of experience in service provision and enterprise support, providing connectivity and managed solutions to local and international clients.

About Paratus Group
Paratus is a pan-African telecommunications and network services provider. The group operates in 16 countries across sub-equatorial Africa, with international points of presence in Europe, the UK and the US. Paratus has operated in Africa for more than 23 years. Its infrastructure investments include the east-to-west Africa fibre route, the Express Route from Johannesburg to the rest of the world and Paratus 500, which supports its goal of connecting half a billion people across sub-equatorial Africa. Read more about Paratus Group at paratus.africa.