Vodafone Group has signed a landmark agreement with Amazon Leo to connect remote 4G and 5G base stations across Europe and Africa. The partnership marks a significant step in satellite-powered internet deployment on the continent, positioning Vodafone to extend high-speed connectivity to underserved and hard-to-reach areas while creating a competitive dynamic with other satellite operators such as Starlink.
Amazon Leo, a Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, is designed to deliver enterprise-grade broadband to areas beyond the reach of traditional fibre and fixed wireless networks. With over 200 satellites currently in orbit and plans for more than 3,000, Amazon Leo offers download speeds of up to 1 Gbps and upload speeds of 400 Mbps. The network aims to provide mobile operators with a reliable backhaul solution, connecting geographically dispersed base stations without the cost or delays associated with laying fibre in remote locations.
Under the agreement, Vodafone will initially deploy Amazon Leo in Germany and parts of Europe before rolling out services across Africa through its majority-owned subsidiary, Vodacom Group. This collaboration enables Vodacom to strengthen network resilience, accelerate rural coverage, and maintain service continuity even during fibre cuts, natural disasters, or other infrastructure challenges, thereby enhancing connectivity for millions of African customers.
Vodafone Group CEO Margherita Della Valle emphasized that the partnership reflects the company’s ambition to use space technology to support reliable, high-speed mobile connectivity, regardless of geographic challenges. Similarly, Vodacom CEO Shameel Joosub highlighted that the collaboration aligns with ongoing efforts to bring more people online across Africa, delivering efficient deployment of mobile services in isolated and underserved regions.
The partnership underscores the growing role of satellite-powered infrastructure in bridging digital divides and enhancing network resilience across Africa. By combining Vodafone’s telecom expertise with Amazon Leo’s cutting-edge satellite capabilities, the initiative represents a major step toward inclusive, scalable, and high-speed connectivity solutions that support economic growth, emergency communications, and sustainable development across the continent.
