Johannesburg, 19 Jan 2026 — Amazon is preparing to launch its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service in South Africa later this year through licensed local partners, marking a major step in expanding broadband access across the country.
The update came from Helen Kyeyune, regulatory and licensing affairs lead for Sub-Saharan Africa at Amazon Leo, during ICASA’s public hearings on the Second Draft National Radio Frequency Plan 2025. Amazon Leo, formerly Project Kuiper, is building a global constellation of more than 3,000 LEO satellites to deliver high-speed, low-latency internet to underserved regions.
Amazon began deploying its first satellites in April 2025, positioning itself as a direct competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink. The next mission, scheduled for 12 February, will place another 32 satellites into orbit, bringing the total number launched to 212.
In South Africa, Amazon Leo plans to provide backhaul-style services to internet service providers. Kyeyune said the company is working with licensed local partners that will own customer relationships and ensure regulatory compliance.
“We are partnering with local companies to provide the network and service. The local partners will own the customer and will be responsible for that in a regulatory manner,” she explained. “We take charge of working with the regulator to ensure spectrum and other resources are aligned to support delivery.”
Amazon Leo aims to begin with a commercial beta for select customers, expanding coverage as more satellites are deployed and capacity increases. The company is also investing in terrestrial infrastructure, including gateways and new customer terminals.
The South African launch adds to Amazon Leo’s growing international footprint. The company recently received approval from the UK’s Ofcom to provide services nationwide and has secured a seven-year landing permit in Nigeria.
Amazon Leo already has a partnership with Vodacom to extend the reach of 4G and 5G services across Europe and Africa, reinforcing its strategy of working with established operators rather than selling directly to end users.
LEO satellites operate at altitudes between 160km and 2,000km, enabling low-latency communications and high-quality connectivity. Over the past decade, more than $60 billion has been invested in the global space sector, with LEO providers including Starlink, OneWeb, Amazon and Telesat.
South Africa has become a focal point for LEO operators. While Starlink operates in several neighbouring countries, it has faced regulatory hurdles locally due to ownership and empowerment requirements under South African law.
Recent policy directions from the Ministry of Communications recognise equity equivalent investment programmes as an alternative compliance route, but the move has sparked political and public debate. ICASA has confirmed it will assess the policy through its formal regulatory processes.
Amazon Leo’s entry, structured around partnerships with licensed local operators, positions it differently in a market where regulatory alignment remains central to market access.
