Vodacom taps Amazon’s satellites to boost mobile internet in remote areas

The race to bring high-speed internet to every corner of the world is heating up, and South Africa's Vodacom is betting on Amazon’s Project Kuiper to help bridge the digital divide in Africa.

In case you don't know, Vodacom is a telecommunications company based in South Africa that provides mobile and internet services to over 45 million subscribers. Following successful prototype satellite launches in 2023, Vodacom has said it is preparing to deploy Kuiper’s network to extend 4G and 5G coverage to underserved regions—without the need for costly fibre infrastructure.

🛰️ ‘Kuiper[ing]’ them at arm’s length

A new contender in the satellite internet space has emerged, and I don’t mean a local internet service. I’m talking about a big tech giant – Amazon! Yup, the same company that delivers everything from books to blenders, is planning to put satellites in space in what it calls Project Kuiper.

TechloyEmmanuel Oyedeji

Project Kuiper is Amazon’s ambitious plan to launch 3,236 low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, offering fast, low-latency internet worldwide. This puts it in direct competition with SpaceX’s Starlink, OneWeb, and Telesat’s Lightspeed network. However, while Starlink focuses on direct-to-home satellite internet, Kuiper’s partnership with Vodacom means it will primarily support mobile networks, connecting remote cell towers to Vodacom’s core infrastructure.

This partnership benefits both companies—it allows Vodacom to expand its reach into rural Africa, possibly increasing its already massive 43.8% market share while also giving Amazon a foothold in South Africa’s satellite market, something Starlink has failed to achieve due to regulatory barriers. South Africa mandates 30% black ownership for telecom operators, a requirement that has kept Starlink from launching in the country. However, with Vodacom as a local partner, Kuiper may bypass this hurdle.

On a more grand scale though, Starlink still has quite a hold on Africa, operating in 19 out of 54 countries and holding major market share in countries like Nigeria where it recently climbed up to become the second-largest ISP in the country.

While Starlink remains stuck in regulatory limbo, Vodacom’s Kuiper-backed approach could position it as a leader in satellite-powered mobile connectivity across Africa. If successful, this initiative could revolutionize internet access for millions.