Amazon has confirmed plans to launch its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband service in South Africa in 2027, making the country one of its first international markets as the competition to connect disadvantaged communities across Africa heats up.
The technology giant said its new satellite internet offering, branded Avery, will be offered through a partnership with South African internet service provider Herotel, allowing homes and small businesses to access high-speed broadband even in areas where fiber and mobile networks are limited.
The planned rollout marks a significant milestone for Amazon's $10 billion satellite broadband project, formerly known as Project Kuiper and now renamed Amazon LEO. It also signals the company's growing ambition to expand digital connectivity across Africa, where millions of people still lack reliable internet access.
Also read: Number of satellite operators in Africa soars as Amazon targets Kenya license
Unlike rival Starlink, which has struggled to enter South Africa due to licensing requirements, Amazon will launch the service through Herotel, which will acquire and hold the telecommunications licenses required by the country's communications regulator.
“Herotel will obtain all the necessary licenses to launch the service,” Trevor Vieweg, head of Amazon Leo's global business, said during a media briefing.
The approach enables Amazon to enter one of Africa's largest digital markets without seeking its own operating license, reflecting a partnership strategy that could become a model for expansion in other countries with strict telecommunications regulations.
Amazon said Herotel is its first announced partner in South Africa, but the deal is not exclusive. “We expect the market and demand to be strong, so we will potentially work with other partners,” Vieweg said.
Although commercial services will launch in 2027, Amazon is still building its global satellite network. The company began deploying the satellites in April 2025 and completed 14 launches, putting approximately 390 satellites into orbit. The entire constellation is expected to include more than 3,000 satellites.
According to Amazon, the already deployed satellites will allow it to begin offering services in select parts of the world later this year before expanding to additional markets, including South Africa.
The Evry service will initially offer download speeds of up to 300Mbps using Amazon's Nano and Pro satellite terminals. Residential Pro terminals can support speeds up to 400Mbps, while larger enterprise devices are capable of speeds up to 1Gbps.
Amazon said its satellites orbit about 590 kilometers above Earth, significantly lower than traditional geostationary satellites, enabling latency of about 50 milliseconds or less. This makes the service suitable for activities like video conferencing, cloud applications, online education and streaming.
Pricing has not been announced yet, but the company said affordability will be an important part of its strategy.
“If you look at Amazon's track record, we're very focused on making sure these services are affordable,” Vieweg said.
For Herotel, this partnership reinforces its long-term focus on serving communities outside South Africa's major cities, where expanding fiber networks can be costly and time-consuming. Satellite broadband will allow the company to expand coverage to homes, farms and small businesses in remote areas that have been underserved.
The launch comes as governments and telecommunications companies across Africa are looking for new ways to bridge the continent's digital divide. While fiber networks remain the backbone of broadband infrastructure, satellite technology is being seen as a faster and more cost-effective solution to connect rural and hard-to-reach locations.
Also read: Nigeria opens its skies to Amazon Kuiper, ending Starlink's LEO head start
Amazon's 2027 launch could increase competition in Africa's emerging satellite broadband market, giving consumers and businesses more connectivity options while encouraging further investment in digital infrastructure.
Beyond the commercial opportunity, the rollout demonstrates that success in Africa's satellite internet market will depend not only on advanced technology but also on forming partnerships that align with local regulatory requirements. As more global satellite operators target the continent, Amazon's strategy could offer a roadmap to enter complex but high-growth markets without protracted licensing disputes.
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