Where Musk stumbled... The satellite internet battle in South Africa is nearing its conclusion | What's new?

Written by Amna Hassan

Amazon Leo, owned by billionaire Jeff Bezos, appears poised to achieve a significant breakthrough in the South African satellite internet market.  AfricaMeanwhile, Elon Musk's Starlink is still unable to enter the market due to ongoing regulatory hurdles.

Strategic partnership to connect disadvantaged areas

Amazon Leo has announced a partnership with Herotel, South Africa’s largest fixed internet provider, to launch a new satellite internet service called “Every” before the end of the year, with actual operation expected to begin early next year.

The service aims to provide high-speed internet to rural areas and small towns suffering from poor infrastructure, taking advantage of Herotel’s network of more than 120 local offices serving around 350,000 customers in more than 550 cities.

Bridging the communication gap

The partnership seeks to address one of the most prominent digital challenges in South Africa, where millions of residents still lack reliable internet access due to the high cost of extending fiber optic networks and traditional communications.

David Zapolsky, Amazon’s chief legal officer, confirmed that the collaboration with Herotel aims to expand digital connectivity and provide educational, employment, and e-service opportunities to communities that have been out of touch for years.

For his part, Herotel CEO Van Zyl Botha said the new service will reach areas that even fiber optic and wireless networks cannot serve, noting that the user's place of residence will not be an obstacle to obtaining reliable internet.

Why did the Starlink project falter?

In contrast, Starlink still faces difficulty entering the South African market due to the requirements of the Black Economic Empowerment Scheme, which requires local participation in the ownership of companies operating in specific sectors in order to obtain licenses.

Despite the introduction of regulatory amendments allowing foreign operators to meet these obligations through investment programs rather than transferring ownership shares, the company has not yet received the green light to operate within the country.

A technological feature that boosts Amazon's chances

Amazon Leo relies on satellites orbiting at an altitude of only about 590 kilometers above the Earth's surface, compared to traditional satellites orbiting at an altitude of more than 35,000 kilometers, which contributes to reducing response time and improving the quality of broadcasting, education, and remote work services.