MTN Uganda is expanding its partnership with Starlink to bring satellite broadband connectivity to businesses and organisations operating in some of the country’s most remote and underserved areas.
The expanded collaboration will see Starlink’s satellite connectivity added to MTN Uganda’s enterprise solutions, giving organisations an alternative way to stay connected where traditional telecommunications infrastructure remains limited or unavailable.
The service is expected to support a range of sectors, including healthcare, education, agriculture, energy and humanitarian operations, where reliable connectivity can be particularly important but difficult to establish in remote locations.
For MTN Uganda, the partnership is about extending the reach of its existing network rather than replacing traditional infrastructure.
“Satellite connectivity adds a vital capability to terrestrial networks,” said Sylvia Mulinge, CEO of MTN Uganda. She said the partnership would help the company provide more reliable connectivity to enterprise customers operating beyond the reach of conventional infrastructure.
The move is also part of a wider strategy by MTN Group to incorporate low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite technology into its connectivity offering across selected African markets.
Rather than operating as a standalone alternative to mobile and fibre networks, LEO satellite services are increasingly being positioned as another layer of connectivity. They can help bridge coverage gaps in areas where laying fibre or building additional terrestrial infrastructure may be difficult or costly.
Starlink, operated by SpaceX, uses a large network of low-Earth-orbit satellites to provide broadband services with relatively high speeds and low latency compared with traditional satellite internet.
Uganda is among the African markets where Starlink has moved from regulatory approval towards commercial operations. The Uganda Communications Commission granted the company an operational licence in May 2026.
For MTN Uganda’s enterprise customers, the expanded partnership could be particularly useful in locations where connectivity has traditionally depended on limited or unreliable terrestrial options. Businesses, schools, health facilities and other organisations working in rural and hard-to-reach communities could use satellite connectivity to maintain access to digital services without waiting for conventional network infrastructure to reach them.
The partnership comes as operators across Africa explore new ways, including satellite connectivity, to extend network coverage into underserved areas.
For MTN Uganda, the focus will be on combining its existing mobile, fibre and enterprise infrastructure with satellite technology to reach customers in places where conventional connectivity alone may not be enough.
