Vodacom and Starlink set Joint Africa Expansion Plan

Vodacom Group has set out a partnership with Starlink to introduce satellite-supported broadcast internet services for enterprise and small business users across Africa. The agreement follows internal work by Vodacom to widen rural network availability through satellite capability and to extend coverage into areas where terrestrial infrastructure cannot operate.

Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub says on LinkedIn that the partnership traces back to early discussions with SpaceX personnel during a visit to its Los Angeles site.

Shameel says: “What started off as a casual discussion over lunch at the SpaceX cafeteria in Los Angeles with Dejan, Mariam and Teji on our partnerships visit three years ago – where a partnership model was first conceptualised and debated on a paper napkin – has now become a reality.”

Shameel adds that the programme supports Vodacom’s plans to offer new services to enterprise and small business customers across African markets.

He says the agreement “also positions us strongly to offer enterprise and small business customers new value-driven propositions suited to African market realities”.

The move supports Vodacom’s broader satellite strategy, which has been progressing through trials and supplier agreements with several low-earth orbit network operators.

Vodacom states that satellite capacity will help extend service availability for institutions in remote locations, including schools, clinics and community sites.

Starlink integration broadens Vodacom enterprise service scope

Vodacom intends to integrate Starlink’s data relay technology into its mobile network and will be authorised to resell Starlink equipment and services to enterprise and small business users in a number of African markets.

The integration is positioned as a complement to Vodacom’s terrestrial infrastructure, enabling customers to run backup links and dedicated site connectivity through a mix of satellite and mobile systems.

Shameel outlines the expanded product set that it makes possible.

He says: “From pay-as-you-use backup internet to 100% unbreakable internet, device-as-a-service solutions and branch network pooling, we now have an enhanced suite of products that blend terrestrial and space-based technologies to support mining, oil and gas, agriculture, tourism, retail, financial services and more.”

Licensing requirements influence Vodacom–Starlink deployment

Vodacom confirms that it continues to work with multiple satellite providers to meet the requirements of enterprises and ensure coverage.

Shameel tells Reuters: “We continue dealing with multiple satellite providers, including Starlink, where it has been licensed, including AST SpaceMobile as well as Amazon Kuiper.”

The comment reflects Vodacom’s multi-vendor approach to satellite resources, where developing maintains a stable supply across countries with differing regulatory environments.

The partnership follows Starlink’s growing footprint across the continent.

The service now operates in a wide set of countries where national licensing is complete and where individual operators have secured authorisation to sell equipment and manage customer deployment.

Starlink service model and relevance for Vodacom markets

Starlink operates as a subsidiary of SpaceX, using a network of satellites in low-earth orbit to deliver internet connections to locations that fixed or mobile systems cannot reach.

It launched its first test satellites in 2018 and has since expanded its fleet of satellites. In 2022, Pocket-lint Editorial Director Chris Hall told the BBC that about 3,000 satellites had been launched since 2018.

Chris says: “Using satellites solves the problem of getting internet connections to remote locations in deserts and mountains.

"It bypasses the need to build massive amounts of infrastructure, like cables and masts, to reach those areas.”

Starlink’s Vice President of Operations at SpaceX, Chad Gibbs, notes that Starlink already runs services in many African markets. Chad says: “Starlink is already serving people, businesses and organisations in 25 African countries.

By collaborating with Vodacom, Starlink can deliver reliable, high-speed connectivity to even more customers, transforming lives and communities across the continent.”

The statement outlines its aim to expand enterprise coverage under a reseller model aligned with Vodacom’s network presence.

Vodacom highlights the partnership’s link to its Vision 2030 strategy, which sets group targets to grow its customer base to 260 million and expand the number of financial services customers to 120 million.

The strategy sets revenue objectives of more than ZAR 200 billion (US$11.7 billion) by 2030 and focuses on investment in infrastructure, service innovation, and digital inclusion.

The Starlink agreement is positioned within the strategy’s focus on partnerships that extend network reach.

Vodacom further identifies sustainability and digital literacy as part of its long-term objectives, noting that non-South African operations will contribute an increasing share of group operating profit through the period to 2030.

Shameel ends his LinkedIn announcement by stating: “Together, we move close to building an inclusive, digital-enabled future for all.”