SpaceX’s Starlink satellite broadband service has officially begun commercial operations in Seychelles, adding a new capability to its African footprint and making high-speed internet with low latency available to an Indian Ocean archipelago.
This comes after the Seychelles Government approved an Internet Service Provider (ISP) licence for Starlink in February 2026, enabling the company to offer broadband internet services across the Seychelles in accordance with Seychelles regulations. The approval opens the door for satellite broadband services to supplement the current telecommunications network and provide consumers with additional options.
Starlink’s entry is expected to significantly improve internet access across Seychelles’ 115 islands, particularly in remote and sparsely populated locations where deploying traditional fibre or mobile infrastructure has been technically challenging and economically prohibitive. Leveraging a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, the service delivers faster speeds and lower latency than conventional satellite broadband, supporting a wide range of users including households, businesses, educational institutions, tourism operators and the maritime sector.
The introduction of Starlink also brings increased competition to Seychelles’ telecommunications market, providing consumers and enterprises with an additional connectivity option. The initiative aligns with the government’s broader digital transformation objectives, which focus on strengthening national connectivity, improving digital inclusion and supporting economic development through enhanced access to reliable broadband services.
The Seychelles launch marks another step in Starlink’s expansion in Africa. The company has continued to gain regulatory clearance and launch services commercially across the continent, helping to close connectivity gaps in less-served and hard-to-reach areas where traditional broadband infrastructure is limited.
SpaceX’s Starlink provides broadband internet access via thousands of satellites in low Earth orbit, and is currently operational in over 160 countries and territories around the world. The service aims to deliver reliable, high-speed broadband internet connections to underserved areas where fixed-line or mobile broadband connections are not available or do not exist, enabling more communities and individuals to be digitally included and to have more opportunity to benefit economically.
