Ever since Starlink became available in Cameroon via roaming, I have been eager to share my experience. The improvements for early adopters in Africa, have been great. Starlink is a huge investment for anyone based in Africa, so I wanted to detail what performance you can expect and whether it lives up to the hype.
Starlink Standard Kit and Mini Price
The original setup I had were the default gadgets the came with the Starlink Package. I purchased the Starlink Mini Kit or package for its portability during my time in Kenya for about 300,000 FCFA. Since these kits are not in neighboring Nigeria, it will be tough to get them. However, Standard Gen 3/REV 4 kits can be purchased for about 400,000 FCFA from vendors in Cameroon. It must be noted that the Cameroonian government has placed a ban on the import of these products.
The Starlink app showed slight obstruction to the right but it wasn’t much serious. I made a couple of changes to the initial setup, which cumulatively increased the overall performance of the network.
The first thing I did was to get an ethernet adapter and a more powerful router, Huawei AX6 new version in my case. You must know that you need to bypass the associated Starlink router to be able to use third-party routers.
The introduction of a more capable router further enhanced my experience, underscoring the importance of a robust home network setup.
That said, most users don’t need to go the extra mile of setting all of these up. The standard Starlink equipment will likely get you 92% of the performance I will show below.
Starlink Speeds and Performance
I began collecting data last December 2024. Connection was achieved via global roaming. These packages cost 40 euros (28,000 FCFA) for 50GB or 72 euros (49,000 FCFA) for the unlimited package. Through custom scripts for ping, weather, and speed tests, I amassed over 1000 tests, providing a comprehensive look at Starlink’s performance under diverse conditions.
Though I’m no analyst or network engineer, the data speaks volumes, and I have shared it all for independent analysis.
Here are some of the key data points for anyone interested in using Starlink in Cameroon:
- Uptime: From the pings, only 2% failed, translating to a 98% uptime over three weeks
- Download Speed: I encountered speeds above 150 Mbps on several occasions and dipped below 50 Mbps a few times. The median speed settled around 78 Mbps, which is decent enough.
- Upload Speed: Surprisingly, upload speeds varied widely, sometimes surpassing the advertised 5-25 Mbps range.
Just for reference: Ookla states that median broadband download speeds in Cameroon are hovering around the 6 Mbps mark, so this is a serious improvement.
You should therefore be able to engage in almost regular online activity, from streaming movies to conducting video calls. Latency remains the only issue with Starlink, thus potentially hampering online gaming activities. However, that’s also a given in the US and other markets, albeit less striking due to ground station availability and proximity.
Impact of Poor Weather
Weather plays a notable role in service performance. Midday heat correlates with lower speeds and higher latency, suggesting that critical online activities should be scheduled for cooler parts of the day.
Is Starlink Use in Cameroon Worth It?
Yes, with some caveats. Network speeds are unstable and there can be frequent network cuts. So Starlink is more reliable. However, the steep costs for the kit and the packages or options might be a hindrance to its adoption. Gamers might find the latency a hindrance, but for most users, especially those in rural areas like myself, Starlink offers a valuable service.
It’s about weighing your needs against the service’s current capabilities and potential for improvement.
Switching to Starlink significantly reduced my internet costs. A generous offer from a supporter covered my subscription, highlighting the community’s belief in the service’s potential.
Starlink has transformed my internet experience in Cameroon, providing reliable service despite the initial investment.
While it might not yet be perfect for everyone, its progress and impact are undeniable.
For those in similar situations to mine, it’s a game-changer, offering connectivity where traditional services fall short.
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