Traditional satellite internet services use geostationary (GEO) satellites that orbit the Earth at an altitude of over 30,000 km above the equator. While these satellites provide wide coverage, the vast distance data must travel results in high latency — approximately 600ms — which makes real-time applications difficult.
Starlink uses Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites that orbit at an altitude of just 550 km. This dramatically reduces the distance data must travel, resulting in latency of just 20-40ms — comparable to fibre internet and far superior to traditional satellite services.
Unlike a single GEO satellite covering a wide area, Starlink uses a constellation of thousands of satellites working together. As you use the internet, your Starlink dish seamlessly hands off your connection between satellites overhead, ensuring continuous, high-speed connectivity.
This technology is transforming connectivity across Africa, bringing reliable, high-speed internet to areas where traditional infrastructure is not economically viable to deploy.
