On Friday, May 27, 2022, Elon Musk announced on Twitter that Starlink, the satellite internet service launched by SpaceX, his space exploration company, has been approved in Nigeria and Mozambique.
The news was met with varying degrees of excitement and anticipation by Africans. Many were glad they’d finally found the solution to the internet problems plaguing them while some were skeptical about the cost of acquiring the technology.
Starlink Price in Nigeria
Starlink, which currently operates in 36 countries and has over 400,000 subscribers worldwide, costs $599 (~₦330,000) for a full kit, including a terminal, mounting tripod, and Wi-Fi router, then $110 (~₦60,500) for preorder and monthly subscription. Its premium service costs about $2,500 (~₦1.375 million) for the full kit and $500 (~₦275,000) monthly. The subscription fee is costlier when compared to existing internet services which costs an average of $50.
However, there are several benefits that could make Africans buy it faster than their next meal.
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Worthy investment or not
According to Nairametrics, Starlink is a big deal for several reasons some of which are:
- High speed: Speed is a crucial advantage of Starlink. Ookla indicates that the average mobile internet speed via cellular is 17.38Mbps, while fixed internet wireless connection is 10.06Mbps. In contrast, Starlinks’ speed is 104Mbps, ten times as fast. With faster internet services, more internet applications can become operational in Nigeria
- Ease of access: It solves the problems of access to internet services in Nigeria because it is ideally suited for areas where connectivity has been unreliable or completely unavailable. According to the “Digital 2022 Nigeria” report by Data Reportal internet penetration in Nigeria stands at 51% as of January 2022. Thus, 49% of Nigerians or 104.9 million Nigerians, do not use the internet. The low number is due to the infrastructure deficit in Nigeria. Nigerians get internet access mainly via data sold by GSM companies. There are not enough physical cell phone towers to beam data across Nigeria, especially in the rural areas. 53.4% of Nigerians live in urban centres, and 46.6% live in rural areas
- Easy to set up: The Starlink kit arrives with everything you need to get online including your Wi-Fi router, cables and base. It requires a clear view of the sky to connect so you will need to download the app to determine an optimal location for setup
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How to pay for Starlink in Nigeria
Presently, Starlink’s pre-order price is $99. Given the $20 monthly spend limit on Nigerian Naira cards, Nigerian users are unable to seamlessly subscribe to this high-blazing ISP with local bank cards .
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At this point, you’re probably wondering about how to pay for Starlink in Nigeria. Thankfully, there’s a way to circumvent the $20 limit. Changera proffers a solution that allows users to spend above $10,000 / month using their virtual cards.
Once you’ve installed your Changera app on iOS or Android, you can easily apply for your Virtual Dollar Card. It’s easy and instant. Changera’s Virtual Dollar Card gives you the flexibility to make online purchases like a regular MasterCard, only this time, nothing is restricting your spending power.
Once you have your instant virtual card, you can proceed to pre-order your Starlink device. It’s as easy as gulping down a cup of fresh juice.
Thousands of users across Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya are already pre-ordering using their Changera cards. Don’t be a lagger.
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