Cell C, the South African mobile operator, is in talks with Starlink, Amazon Leo and other low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite operators as it looks for ways to extend mobile and broadband services to rural parts of South Africa.

The company said it is considering direct-to-cell partnerships as well as arrangements that would allow it to resell satellite broadband services.

“We continue to engage with a range of industry participants, including LEO satellite providers, as part of our ongoing assessment of future connectivity opportunities,” Cell C said.

The discussions put Cell C alongside Vodacom and MTN, which have also been exploring satellite partnerships as operators look for ways to reach customers beyond the limits of traditional networks.

Satellite deals widen rural coverage options

Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is not legally available for consumer use in South Africa. Still, Vodacom and MTN have agreements with Starlink for operations in other African markets.

The two operators are also working with companies including AST SpaceMobile, Eutelsat OneWeb, Amazon Leo and Lynk Global at different stages.

Herotel, the Maziv-owned fiber and wireless provider, has separately agreed to bring Amazon Leo to South Africa. The service, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is Amazon’s answer to Starlink and is expected to begin commercial operations in the country in 2027.

Herotel CEO Van Zyl Botha has said the company plans to offer Amazon Leo through a new product line called Evry, targeting households and small businesses in areas where fiber and other terrestrial networks are difficult to deploy.

LEO satellites can provide faster connections and lower latency than traditional geostationary satellite services, making them useful for remote communities.

Amazon Leo faces an established rival

Amazon Leo global business head Trevor Vieweg said South Africa is expected to join the service’s commercial rollout in 2027. Herotel will manage the regulatory process, including applications to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa.

Amazon Leo faces a well-established Starlink network. SpaceX has more than 11,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, while Amazon Leo has 392, with another launch scheduled for October.

For Starlink, regulation remains the main barrier to entering South Africa. The company would need network, service and spectrum licenses and must meet ownership requirements under the country’s telecommunications rules.

Starlink has backed efforts to recognize Equity Equivalent Investment Programmes as an alternative to the required ownership structure. ICASA, however, has said legislative changes would be needed before such arrangements could be accepted.

Cell C targets growth beyond core mobile

The company, which is listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange under the ticker CCD, has been reshaping its business around a capital-light network model while expanding its mobile, enterprise and wholesale services.

The company reported a sharp improvement in earnings following its restructuring and listing on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), with annual profit rising to R4.16 billion ($260 million) for the year ended May 31, 2026, up from R2.22 billion ($138.4 million) a year earlier. Revenue rose nearly 14% to R12.64 billion ($789.7 million), helped by stronger prepaid sales, wholesale growth and the consolidation of Comm Equipment Company.

For Cell C, satellite partnerships could offer another way to reach customers in areas where building conventional infrastructure remains expensive or impractical.