Vodacom is accelerating connectivity to the furthest corners of Africa – not just through cables or towers, but also from space.

No signal? No problem

For millions of people across the continent, “no signal” remains part of daily life while they await the roll-out of traditional terrestrial networks. Remote communities, mountain valleys, farms beyond the reach of fibre – these are the places where traditional infrastructure can’t easily reach, or in some cases, where building it may simply not make economic sense. But satellite technology offers potential to change that equation.

Vodacom has forged partnerships with two of the world’s most advanced satellite network providers – Starlink and Amazon Leo (Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite broadband network) – to deliver an alternative internet service to areas awaiting terrestrial mobile network coverage or where it is simply not possible to roll this out. These aren’t the slow, laggy satellites of old. Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites sit closer to Earth than traditional satellites, delivering service performance levels that are capable of supporting broadband-type connectivity with the potential for limited video calls, online learning and business applications.

The Starlink partnership, announced in November 2025, is already bringing connectivity to 25 African countries. Vodacom is integrating Starlink’s satellite backhaul into its mobile network and offering tailored packages to enterprises and small businesses – from pay-as-you-go backup internet to “100% unbreakable internet” with technology diversity-based redundancy for critical operations.

Landmark agreement

In a significant new development, Vodafone Group and Amazon Leo have signed a landmark agreement to connect many more 4G and 5G mobile sites in remote areas across Europe and Africa. With Amazon Leo, we have greater backhaul options to allow us to deploy 4G and 5G base stations faster in previously unserved areas. Satellite backhaul would be especially relevant in remote, hard-to-reach areas. We’ll also leverage the service to improve network resilience for emergency and critical online services if fixed infrastructure connecting mobile masts are affected in cases of natural disaster.

Built on a planned constellation of thousands of satellites, Amazon Leo enables telecommunications providers to rapidly expand and enhance network infrastructure through satellite-based connectivity. The plan is to progressively roll out across Africa through Vodacom, with the first mobile sites expected to be connected in 2026.

Supporting Vision 2030

The agreement also aligns with Vodacom’s Vision 2030 targets: reaching 260 million customers, expanding financial services, and raising smartphone penetration to 75% by 2030.

It’s a smarter way to expand our services, and it’s not just theory. In January 2025, Vodafone engineers made the world’s first space-based video call from a remote Welsh valley with zero mobile coverage – using nothing but a standard smartphone and satellites overhead. The team built a temporary gateway in days, coordinated satellite passes and proved the technology works. Commercial services are planned for 2026.

Filling the gaps

For Vodacom, this is about supplementing terrestrial networks, not replacing them. Satellite is an innovative tool to fill some key gaps.

As Shameel Joosub, Vodacom Group CEO, puts it: “We are delighted to collaborate with Starlink, a move that accelerates our mission to connect every African to the internet. Low Earth orbit satellite technology will help bridge the digital divide where traditional infrastructure is not feasible, and this partnership will unlock new possibilities for the unconnected.”

Shameel also highlighted the importance of the Amazon Leo partnership: “At Vodacom, we are working every day to bring more people in Africa online and in reach of vital digital services. Partnering with Amazon Leo enables us to swiftly deploy mobile connectivity in isolated areas, allowing us to efficiently expand our reach to more customers throughout the African continent.”

It’s connectivity from above – for the communities below who’ve waited long enough.