Starlink Pauses New Sign-Ups in African Cities Due to Overwhelming Demand

Starlink, the satellite internet company owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has temporarily suspended new sign-ups in several urban areas across Africa due to a surge in demand that has strained network capacity. The high interest from users in these densely populated areas has exceeded the current capabilities of the Starlink network, leading to a pause in new registrations.

In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk stated that Starlink is actively working to boost internet capacity in Africa’s urban centers as quickly as possible to meet demand. “We’re scaling up to accommodate the high interest, but it will take some time,” Musk said, adding that the company is focused on expanding infrastructure to improve service in these high-density regions.

Despite the restrictions in major cities, Starlink noted that there remains considerable capacity available outside city centers, where users can still access and sign up for the service without limitations. The company’s expansion across Africa has seen rapid adoption, especially in areas where reliable internet options are limited or unavailable, driving a significant reliance on Starlink’s satellite technology.

As Starlink continues its mission to bridge digital divides across remote and urban regions, further updates on capacity enhancements are expected, with the hope that additional infrastructure will soon meet the growing needs of urban users in Africa.