JOHANNESBERG, July 17 – Amazon’s low-earth orbit satellite internet project, Amazon Leo, has partnered with South African internet provider Herotel to bring satellite broadband to rural and underserved communities from 2027.
Under the agreement, Herotel will use Amazon Leo’s satellite network to launch a new broadband service called evry for residential customers. The companies said the service is designed to improve internet access in areas where fibre and wireless networks are difficult or too costly to build.
The partnership comes as satellite internet providers continue to expand across Africa. SpaceX’s Starlink is also working to enter the South African market but is still waiting for proposed changes to the country’s licensing rules.
Amazon Leo and Herotel said the new service aims to close the connectivity gap for millions of people living in farms, small towns and rural communities that still have limited access to reliable internet.
Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
Amazon’s Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer, David Zapolsky, said the partnership is intended to improve internet access for people who need reliable connections for work, education and essential services.
Herotel, which is owned by Maziv, serves more than 350,000 customers across over 550 towns through its fibre and fixed wireless network. The company also operates 120 offices across South Africa and said its nationwide presence will support installation, customer service and field operations when the satellite service launches.
Earlier this year, Amazon Leo also signed an agreement with Vodafone to connect its network to remote base stations across Africa through Vodacom, the company’s South African subsidiary.
