Vodafone has signed an agreement with Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite broadband network, Amazon LEO, to expand mobile coverage and strengthen network resilience across Africa and Europe.
The partnership will enable Vodafone to connect more 4G and 5G mobile sites in remote and underserved areas using satellite-based backhaul, reducing reliance on costly and time-consuming fibre or fixed wireless links. This is particularly significant for rural and hard-to-reach regions where traditional infrastructure deployment can be challenging.
Built on a constellation of thousands of low Earth orbit satellites, Amazon LEO provides high-speed connectivity with backhaul speeds of up to 1 Gbps download and 400 Mbps upload. The solution allows telecom operators to rapidly expand and enhance their network infrastructure.
Under the agreement, Vodafone will initially use Amazon LEO to connect dispersed mobile base stations to its core telecom networks in Germany and other European markets. The service will then be progressively rolled out across Africa through pan-African operator Vodacom.
The first mobile sites are expected to be connected in 2026, with further expansion planned as Amazon LEO increases satellite coverage and capacity. In addition to improving rural coverage, Vodafone will use the satellite service to enhance network resilience, ensuring emergency and critical services remain operational if fibre connections are disrupted by incidents such as flooding.
The agreement supports Vodafone’s objective of expanding advanced 5G services in Europe and aligns with Vodacom’s Vision 2030 strategy, which targets 260 million customers, broader financial services expansion, and increasing smartphone penetration to 75 percent by 2030.
Amazon LEO currently has more than 200 satellites in orbit, with hundreds more ready for launch. The company began offering a preview service to enterprise customers in November 2025 and plans broader rollout as network capacity grows.
