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Vodacom and Starlink Enter Commercial Partnership to Expand African Connectivity

Market rollouts depend on national approvals, with South Africa’s licensing and transformation rules leaving timing unresolved.

Overview

  • Vodacom will resell Starlink equipment and services to enterprise and small-business customers, with flexibility to tailor offerings for local affordability.
  • Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit links will be integrated as satellite backhaul on Vodacom’s network to extend coverage and improve performance in rural areas, including schools and health centres.
  • Country launches will follow once regulators sign off, and Vodacom says Starlink’s operation in South Africa cannot be confirmed under current BEE and licensing requirements despite new policy guidance.
  • Starlink says it already serves users in 25 African countries and expects the collaboration to broaden access to reliable, high-speed connectivity.
  • Vodacom positions the deal as advancing its Vision 2030 targets, including reaching 260 million customers and 120 million financial-services users within five years.