Vodacom Group Ltd signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s Starlink to deliver satellite internet across its African markets, the South African telecoms giant said on Wednesday, in a move that excludes its home country due to regulatory barriers.
The partnership will integrate Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellite network into Vodacom’s mobile infrastructure to expand coverage in rural areas where traditional networks are difficult to deploy, the companies said in a statement.
Vodacom will also become an authorized reseller of Starlink equipment and services to businesses and enterprises across Africa, offering solutions including backup connectivity and what the company called “unbreakable” internet for critical operations.
“We are delighted to collaborate with Starlink, a move that accelerates our mission to connect every African to the internet,” Vodacom Chief Executive Shameel Joosub said in the statement. “Low Earth orbit satellite technology will help bridge the digital divide where traditional infrastructure is not feasible.”
The deal aligns with Vodacom’s Vision 2030 strategy to grow its customer base to 260 million and expand connectivity across the continent, Joosub said.
Chad Gibbs, Vice President of Starlink Operations at SpaceX, said the partnership would extend the reach of services already operating in about 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,” Gibbs said.
Despite the partnership, South Africa remains excluded from Starlink’s operations due to Black Economic Empowerment laws requiring telecommunications license holders to have at least 30 percent local ownership by historically disadvantaged groups.
Musk, who was born in South Africa, has criticized the rules as discriminatory. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa said Starlink has not submitted a formal license application.
Communications Minister Solly Malatsi in May published a draft policy direction for public comment that could allow satellite operators to meet empowerment requirements through social investment programs rather than direct equity transfers. “We are prioritizing it, you cannot sit on submissions,” Malatsi told reporters in May, referring to thousands of public comments received on the proposal.
Starlink operates in countries including Lesotho, Guinea-Bissau, Somalia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Nigeria, according to company data. The satellite internet service has expanded rapidly across Africa since launching in Nigeria in January 2023.
Vodacom, majority-owned by Britain’s Vodafone, operates networks serving more than 223 million customers across Africa but faces challenges extending coverage to sparsely populated rural areas where infrastructure costs are high.
The company already offers 4G, 5G, fiber and other connectivity technologies across its markets, according to the statement.
