Vodacom Group has entered into a landmark partnership with Elon Musk’s Starlink, aiming to expand high-speed satellite broadband access across Africa. The agreement marks one of the most significant developments in the continent’s connectivity sector, yet South Africa remains without access to the service.
According to BusinessTech, the deal allows Vodacom to integrate Starlink’s low-Earth-orbit satellite backhaul into its network infrastructure, improving coverage and reliability in remote and underserved areas.
The partnership is expected to deliver fast, low-latency internet to rural schools, clinics, and businesses, enabling millions to access digital services.
Under the agreement, Vodacom will be authorised to resell Starlink’s hardware and connectivity packages to enterprise and small-business clients across Africa.
The collaboration also supports Vodacom’s Vision 2030 plan to expand its user base to 260 million customers and 120 million financial services clients within five years.
However, while Starlink is now operational in 25 African markets, including Botswana, Mozambique, Nigeria, and Zambia, it remains unavailable in South Africa.
This follows months of stalled negotiations with local regulators over the company’s compliance with the country’s Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) requirements.
As previously reported, Starlink’s availability in South Africa depends on regulatory approval from the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), which has confirmed that no formal operating licence has been submitted to date.
ICASA chairperson Mothibi Ramusi has said that foreign companies must meet a 30% local ownership threshold to qualify for a licence.
The ongoing impasse has left South African consumers and small businesses without access to Starlink’s satellite broadband, even as neighbouring countries adopt the technology to bridge their digital divides.
President Cyril Ramaphosa met Elon Musk in New York in September 2024 to discuss the potential rollout of Starlink in South Africa.
The meeting was described as “positive,” but progress since then has been slow. Musk has previously stated on X (formerly Twitter) that Starlink is “waiting for regulatory approval” to begin operations in his home country.
Despite the regulatory bottleneck, Vodacom says the partnership with Starlink will complement its existing 4G, 5G, and fibre networks, offering “unbreakable internet” and backup connectivity solutions for African markets where terrestrial infrastructure remains limited.
For now, South Africa remains excluded from Starlink’s service area, leaving users dependent on traditional mobile and fibre networks while negotiations over the country’s licensing requirements continue.
