Amazon Partners With Herotel to Launch Satellite Internet in South Africa

Amazon's low-earth orbit satellite internet venture, Amazon Leo, has entered into an agreement with South African internet provider Herotel to deliver broadband services to the country's rural and underserved communities. The partnership aims to launch a commercial service for residential customers in 2027, targeting areas where traditional connectivity is lacking.

Partnership to Target Underserved Areas

Herotel, described as South Africa’s largest fixed internet service provider, will leverage Amazon Leo's satellite technology for a new service branded as "evry." According to the announcement made Wednesday, the service is designed to address the needs of millions of people on farms and in small towns without reliable internet access.

Herotel, owned by Maziv, plans to utilize its extensive existing infrastructure to support the rollout. The company reported its current footprint includes:

• More than 350,000 customers across over 550 towns.
• A network of 120 offices nationwide.

This established presence will allow Herotel to manage installation, customer service, and field operations for the new satellite offering from its launch.

Strategic Rationale and Market Context

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The collaboration is designed to bridge a significant connectivity gap where deploying conventional fibre and wireless networks is often not economically feasible. The venture seeks to provide essential services to communities that have been left behind by traditional infrastructure development.

"This collaboration is about breaking down barriers and unlocking opportunity for millions of people who don’t yet have reliable access for work, education, or the services they depend on," said David Zapolsky, Amazon’s chief global affairs and legal officer, in a statement.

Competitive Landscape Heats Up

The move positions Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) in a market that rival SpaceX's Starlink has also long sought to enter. Starlink's launch in South Africa has reportedly been contingent on proposed changes to licensing rules that would address local ownership and empowerment requirements for foreign satellite operators.

This agreement also follows a separate deal Amazon Leo signed with Vodafone to connect the telecom giant's network to base stations in hard-to-reach locations in Africa via its South African subsidiary, Vodacom, signaling a broader strategic push across the continent.