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By Winnie Kamau
Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo: Starlink users in Kinshasa could experience slower internet speeds, unstable connections and increased latency over the coming months as the satellite network serving the city reaches its current capacity, according to an advisory issued by authorized Starlink reseller Radiocom Communications & Computers.
In a notice dated 16 July 2026, Radiocom said it had been officially informed by Starlink that the satellite constellation providing coverage to Kinshasa has reached its maximum bandwidth capacity for customers using the Residential plan.
The congestion is expected to persist for approximately four to six months, while Starlink deploys additional low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to increase capacity in the area.
Residential users likely to feel the pressure
According to Radiocom, the capacity constraint could result in fluctuating connection performance and reduced throughput speeds for Residential customers, particularly during periods of heavy network use.
The company is therefore advising customers in Kinshasa who are purchasing new Starlink equipment to consider the Priority package rather than the Residential plan.
The Priority service provides allocated priority data and is intended to offer greater stability and more consistent performance when the network is congested. Radiocom emphasized that the recommendation applies only to users located within Kinshasa.
“This operational recommendation applies strictly to users located within the city of Kinshasa,” the company said in its notice.
Customers elsewhere in the Democratic Republic of Congo, including those operating in other cities and inland areas, can continue using the Residential package without making changes, according to the advisory.
Additional satellites expected to ease congestion
The current situation is described as temporary and linked to capacity limitations in Starlink’s satellite infrastructure rather than a problem with individual customer equipment.
Radiocom said the situation is expected to improve once Starlink deploys additional LEO satellites to expand capacity serving Kinshasa.
For existing customers, however, the prospect of several months of congestion could have implications for households, businesses and organizations increasingly dependent on satellite internet for communications and digital services.
Radiocom distances itself from service disruptions
As an authorized Starlink reseller, Radiocom also sought to clarify its responsibility for any service degradation experienced during the period.
The company said that any speed reductions, latency increases or connectivity disruptions resulting from network saturation are attributable to Starlink’s underlying satellite infrastructure, rather than Radiocom’s equipment or services.
“Radiocom assumes no liability for service slowdowns experienced during this period,” the company said, adding that service improvements depend on Starlink deploying additional network capacity.
The advisory comes as satellite internet continues to play an increasingly important role in connecting areas where traditional telecommunications infrastructure remains limited.
For Kinshasa’s Starlink users, however, the immediate message is one of patience or paying for priority access.
For the next four to six months, the question may not be whether Starlink is available in Kinshasa, but how much capacity users are willing to pay for.
