Should we be starstruck by Elon Musk's Starlink in South Africa?

Stephen Grootes speaks to Arthur Goldstuck, founder of World Wide Worx, about why he believes Tesla's entry into the South African market is expected to have a more profound impact than the launch of SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet service.

Listen below.

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President Cyril Ramaphosa has met with SpaceX founder Elon Musk about plans to introduce Musk's Starlink satellite internet service to the local market.

If offered in South Africa, it would provide people mainly in rural areas access to better internet connectivity.

So far there's been no word from the Independent Communications Authority (ICASA) about when it will be available here.

Goldstruck says the reality is Starlink will solve problems for certain users, but it won't bridge the digital divide between the haves and the have-nots.

"It's not a catch all and it's not a silver bullet or a magic bullet."

- Arthur Goldstuck, Founder - World Wide Worx

The first issue, says Goldstuck, is cost.

"It costs around R700 a month... and the equipment to use the service costs anywhere between R5000 and R15 000."

- Arthur Goldstuck, Founder - World Wide Worx

It's not a service designed for individuals looking for a cheaper fibre service, he says.

"It's not aimed at them. But in rural areas, if you're a business, for example, that has connectivity needs, it's a fantastic solution."

- Arthur Goldstuck, Founder - World Wide Worx

Goldstuck says it's worth remembering Starlink is not the only service provider in this field, although it is one of the more cost-effective ones.

"You've got something called V-SAT in South Africa, which is satellite internet service that banks often use, and Starlink is more cost effective than those services."