Vodafone Group, a leading global telecommunications company, has entered into a groundbreaking partnership with Amazon’s Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite network, Amazon Leo, to connect remote 4G and 5G base stations across Europe and Africa.
This agreement signals a new competitive landscape against Elon Musk’s Starlink, which has been authorised to operate in approximately 25 countries across the continent.
Amazon Leo is a satellite constellation designed to deliver high-speed broadband to regions without access to traditional fibre or fixed wireless networks. Initially envisioned to comprise over 3,000 satellites, Amazon Leo has already launched more than 200 satellites into orbit and is steadily enhancing its coverage. It boasts download speeds of up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds of 400 Mbps, targeting enterprise-grade performance and telecom backhaul services.
While Starlink has made significant strides in several African markets, catering directly to households and businesses, Amazon Leo is carving out its niche as a wholesale infrastructure provider for mobile operators.
Under this new agreement, Vodafone will utilise Amazon Leo to connect widely dispersed mobile masts back to its core network, thereby reducing both the costs and the time required to lay fibre in rural areas.
Margherita Della Valle, CEO of Vodafone Group, announced that after the initial rollout in Germany and select European locations, the service will expand into Africa through Vodacom, Vodafone’s majority-owned subsidiary on the continent.
“Vodafone is turning to space to connect additional mobile base stations to our core network, enhancing our resilience even in the most challenging environments. Amazon Leo’s satellite constellation aligns with our goal of providing reliable and high-speed connectivity to all customers, wherever they may be,” she said.
This partnership could have profound implications for Africa, where Vodacom operates in numerous markets, including South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, the DRC, Lesotho, and Egypt, serving millions of individuals.
The use of satellite backhaul may expedite rural connectivity, bolster network resilience during natural disasters or fibre cuts, and facilitate emergency communications.
Shameel Joosub, CEO of Vodacom Group, emphasised that this collaboration aligns with their mission to bring more people online in Africa.
“By partnering with Amazon Leo, we can rapidly deploy mobile connectivity in remote areas, enhancing our ability to extend our reach across the continent,” he stated.
