DRC Direct to Cell: Airtel & Starlink Go Live

DRC Expands Its Telecom Ecosystem with Direct to Cell

The Democratic Republic of Congo has become the first market in Africa to move satellite to mobile connectivity from pilot to a live commercial product. On 14 August 2026, Airtel Congo RDC and SpaceX's Starlink switched on a Direct to Cell (D2C) service in Kinshasa, with the country's telecom regulator, the Autorité de Régulation de la Poste et des Télécommunications du Congo (ARPTC), attending and supervising the launch.

The service lets compatible LTE smartphones connect directly to Starlink's low Earth-orbit satellites in areas beyond terrestrial mobile coverage, extending connectivity to remote and underserved locations. No dish, separate terminal, or specialised handset is required only a supported phone with a clear view of the sky.

For certification and compliance professionals, the key point of interpretation is what this launch is and is not. It is a commercial service launch, enabled by an operator's spectrum and a satellite operator's licence, and supervised by ARPTC to ensure conformity with the Congolese regulatory framework. It is not a new device type-approval regime, a new spectrum allocation for equipment, or a fresh homologation instrument. The distinction matters for how manufacturers should and should not react.

What ARPTC's role actually is in the DRC Direct to Cell launch

ARPTC did not issue a new device certification rule alongside this launch. Its role, as communicated, is to accompany the introduction of the service and verify that its rollout complies with the Congolese regulatory framework, with deployment phased to respect the applicable technical, operational, and regulatory requirements.

The regulatory groundwork sits upstream of the 14 August event:

• March 2024: DRC authorities barred use of Starlink, citing security concerns, including potential exploitation by armed groups.

• 2 May 2025: ARPTC granted a telecommunications network and services licence to the locally registered Starlink DRC S.A., reversing the earlier position and authorising Starlink to operate as an internet service provider in the country.

• Around December 2025: Starlink's standalone, dish based broadband product became available in the DRC (reported as Starlink's 22nd African market for that separate ISP business).

  
  

That ISP licence and dish based broadband product are distinct from the Airtel branded satellite to mobile service. The D2C launch runs over Airtel's own LTE spectrum, with Starlink acting as an integrated satellite layer within a mobile operator's network rather than as an independent access provider. Conflating the two the Starlink ISP licence versus the Airtel D2C service is the most common error in coverage of this story, and the two operate on different authorisation layers.

How the service works and what it currently supports

At launch, the capability is deliberately narrow. The service carries SMS and low bandwidth applications, notably WhatsApp messaging; full web browsing and video streaming are not part of the initial package. Current throughput sits below 1 Mbps, a constraint tied to the tight power and spectrum envelope of direct to cell operation, with newer satellites expected to raise that over time.

Device support at launch is limited to compatible LTE Android smartphones with an active Airtel data bundle or roaming. Apple/iOS support is expected as early as September 2026, and SpaceX lists more than 100 supported models, with data functionality across more than 40 applications. Commercially, Airtel is offering a 30 day free trial through the MyAirtel app, after which access is folded into eligible Airtel data plans; travellers roaming on Airtel RDC can also qualify after activating an eligible service.

The DRC launch is positioned as the first step in a wider Airtel Africa SpaceX partnership announced in December 2025 covering all 14 of the group's African markets, following successful data and messaging tests in Kenya in March 2026. Further rollout is staged and subject to each country's own regulatory approvals, with additional features anticipated from 2027 as the technology and authorisations evolve.

What this means for manufacturers

The launch does not, by itself, create a new conformity assessment or certification obligation for device makers in the DRC. Handsets placed on the Congolese market remain subject to ARPTC's existing equipment homologation framework the same type approval duties that applied before 14 August. There is no new short range device regime, no new band allocation for equipment, and no D2C specific certification mark introduced by this event.

Where the launch does matter to manufacturers is at the interoperability layer rather than the regulatory one:

• Handset eligibility is a technical gate, not a regulatory one. Only phones whose modem and band support align with Starlink's direct to cell implementation will function on the service. SpaceX maintains the supported models list; being on it is a commercial/interoperability qualification, distinct from ARPTC homologation.

• Homologation duties are unchanged and still apply. Any device sold into the DRC still needs to satisfy ARPTC's standing type approval requirements. Manufacturers should confirm their DRC homologation is current rather than assume the D2C launch alters or supersedes it.

• The affected authorisation layer is operator/service, not device. The instruments in play are Airtel's spectrum rights and Starlink's operator licence. Read correctly, this is a market access and service availability development not a signal to re-open device conformity files.

• Watch the multi market rollout. As D2C expands across Airtel's 14 African markets, each will bring its own regulatory approvals and, potentially, its own homologation nuances. Device makers with regional portfolios should track per-market approvals and align SKUs (including forthcoming iOS support) with the evolving supported device base.

  
  

Certification impact summary

Dimension	Detail	Impact on manufacturers / device makers
Instrument type	Commercial service launch supervised by ARPTC not a new rule or gazette	No new certification obligation triggered
Affected layer	Operator LTE spectrum + satellite operator licence	Device type approval regime unchanged
Device eligibility	Compatible LTE Android at launch; iOS expected ~Sept 2026; SpaceX lists 100+ models	Interoperability (modem/band) gate, not a regulatory one
Homologation	Existing ARPTC equipment homologation applies to all handsets sold in DRC	Standard type approval remains required
Spectrum	Runs on Airtel's own LTE spectrum (specific band not disclosed)	No new band or SRD allocation for devices
Service scope	SMS + low-data apps (e.g., WhatsApp); <1 Mbps; data on 40+ apps	No device feature mandate imposed

Timeline + required actions

Date	Milestone	Required action for manufacturers
Mar 2024	DRC bars Starlink use (security concerns)	Context only no action
2 May 2025	ARPTC grants Starlink DRC S.A. network/services licence	Context satellite operator authorised
Dec 2025	Airtel SpaceX D2C partnership announced (14 markets); Starlink dish broadband live in DRC	Begin tracking multi-market D2C rollout
Mar 2026	Kenya testing of Starlink Mobile data/messaging	Context pre-commercial validation
14 Aug 2026	Commercial D2C launch, Kinshasa; ARPTC supervises	Confirm handset eligibility vs SpaceX supported list; verify DRC homologation is current
~Sept 2026	Apple/iOS support expected	Re check compatibility for iOS SKUs
2027 onward	Additional features and rollout to other Airtel Africa markets	Track per-market regulatory approvals and homologation as each market opens