A Satellite Earth Station Licence authorises the operation of ground-based satellite communication equipment — such as VSAT terminals and satellite gateway dishes — in Kenya. It is issued by the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) under the Frequency Spectrum Resources framework.
CA Fee Structure for Fixed Satellite Earth Stations
The annual frequency fee for a satellite earth station is calculated using a formula rather than a flat rate:
Fee (KES) = U × BW
Where:
- U (Fixed Unit Fee) = KES 100,000
- BW (Bandwidth Factor) is determined by the station’s bandwidth:
| Bandwidth | Factor |
|---|---|
| ≤ 0.25 MHz | 0.25 |
| > 0.25 MHz and ≤ 0.5 MHz | 0.5 |
| > 0.5 MHz and ≤ 1 MHz | 1 |
| > 1 MHz and ≤ 3 MHz | 2 |
| > 3 MHz and ≤ 6 MHz | 4 |
| > 6 MHz and ≤ 10 MHz | 6 |
| > 10 MHz | 8 |
For example, a satellite earth station operating on a 2 MHz bandwidth would pay an annual frequency fee of approximately KES 200,000 (100,000 × 2).
Application Fee
A standard KES 1,000 application fee applies to each frequency application, including satellite earth station applications.
Related VSAT Licensing
Separately, Private VSAT terminals operated through foreign hub operators carry their own fee structure: a KES 1,000 application fee and an annual fee of KES 100,000 per VSAT terminal under the Unified Licensing Framework.
Requirements
- Technical specifications of the earth station and satellite link
- Coordination with satellite operators and orbital slot holders
- Compliance with international satellite frequency coordination procedures
Because satellite earth station fees scale with bandwidth, businesses should size their bandwidth requirements carefully — moving from a 1 MHz to a 3 MHz link, for instance, doubles the unit-fee multiplier from 1 to 2, directly increasing the annual frequency charge.
