(Ecofin Agency) - Starlink has officially launched its high-speed satellite internet services commercially in Madagascar, marking its entry into the country's telecommunications market. The announcement came from the subsidiary of the American company SpaceX on Thursday, June 27th.

To access Starlink's broadband services, Malagasy consumers will pay 226,000 ariarys ($50.5) per month, in addition to a one-time fee of 1.12 million ariarys for the equipment. The company is offering a 29% discount on the kit until July 13th.

This expansion into Madagascar follows governmental authorization granted to Starlink recently, as part of SpaceX's global mission to provide high-speed internet access, even in remote and underserved areas where terrestrial networks are challenging. Starlink already operates in several African countries, including Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique, Kenya, Malawi, Benin, Zambia, eSwatini, and Sierra Leone.

The Malagasy telecom market's liberalization policies, initiated by the government since April 2023, have facilitated Starlink's entry. These policies aim to boost investment across all segments of the ICT market, enhance competition, and lower consumer prices.

This move is expected to enhance internet adoption and usage in Madagascar, where the penetration rate was 17% with 4.9 million internet subscribers in 2022, according to data from the Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (ARTEC).