Microsoft has teamed up with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite internet service to expand global connectivity, in a move that blends low-Earth orbit satellites with community-based digital infrastructure.

Announced this week, the partnership will see Microsoft integrate Starlink’s satellite technology into local deployment models, working with regional providers and organisations to reach underserved areas.

A key pilot is underway in Kenya, where the companies plan to connect 450 community hubs, including rural and agricultural centres.

Microsoft’s chief sustainability officer Melanie Nakagawa said the collaboration combines Starlink’s satellite network with “community-based deployment models and local ecosystem partnerships” to extend reliable broadband access in hard-to-reach regions.

The initiative builds on Microsoft’s broader connectivity target set in 2022 to bring internet access to more than 250 million people by the end of 2025.

The company now says it has surpassed that goal, extending coverage to more than 299 million people globally, including more than 124 million across Africa.

The new push reflects a shift from simply getting people online to building what Microsoft describes as “AI-ready communities”.

The deal is notable given the broader tensions between Microsoft and Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder and CEO.

Musk is currently engaged in legal action against OpenAI – Microsoft’s key AI partner – seeking significant damages over the company’s shift from a nonprofit to a commercial model. He has also publicly criticised Microsoft on social media platform X.

For SpaceX, the partnership could further cement Starlink’s role as enterprise-grade infrastructure, adding to existing government contracts and strengthening its position amid growing competition in the satellite broadband market.