Pan-African connectivity and cloud services provider Seacom has partnered with satellite engineering enterprise Q-KON to enhance Seacom’s low earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity services, which have been offered in South Africa since early 2024.

The enhanced LEO connectivity will form part of Seacom's broader connectivity portfolio, enabling the firm to significantly improve and strengthen its service offering while increasing the versatility and resilience of its network.

LEO connectivity can be integrated into Seacom clients’ network infrastructure and business continuity strategies, reinforcing their digital ecosystems.

Q-KON provides the Twoobii-LEO satellite enterprise solution built on the global Eutelsat OneWeb high-speed, low-latency constellations in key African countries.

“This partnership is consistent with our customer-centric strategy, and our clients can expect the best and most effective solutions for their enterprise needs,” said Seacom Group Digital Services MD Sajid Khan.

“The partnership showcases the co-creation between the two companies, whose synergistic relationship has allowed us to combine our in-depth understanding of terrestrial infrastructure with their specialised expertise in satellite-based networks, resulting in innovative solutions tailored to modern business challenges," says Khan.

The rise of LEO technology throughout Africa's corporate and public landscape has provided a unique opportunity for Q-KON, one that the company is embracing with the power of collaboration and the help of reputable industry players such as Seacom, added Q-KON Group CEO Dr Dawie de Wet.

Africa has seen significant growth in the deployment of LEO satellite technology for several applications, with the technology being widely used across the continent in remote and underdeveloped areas to connect to the Internet and other communication networks. That growth is set to accelerate in the future.

“The recent accelerated growth of satellite services in general for Africa, and LEO services specifically, provides Q-KON with a unique opportunity to develop Africa-centric solutions leveraging the global constellations and our in-depth system engineering capabilities.”

The most recent success is the development of the Super Smart Twoobii-OneWeb service.

Trends such as the transition to alternative energy sources and advancing digital transformation in all its forms have prompted enterprises in South Africa to explore the potential of LEO satellites and the promise of stability and reliability they bring to parts of their businesses.

“LEO connectivity is especially suitable for organisations with low latency and intensive workloads, including those in mining, retail, and financial services sectors,” Khan explained, further noting that LEO connectivity adds to enterprises' connectivity infrastructure and does not replace other wired and terrestrial technologies and mediums.

“The ability to continue operating during a network disruption or failure is where the true value of LEO comes to light. Imagine a bank or retail finance provider with branches or outlets in regions lacking adequate terrestrial systems and infrastructure.”

By leveraging a LEO connection, those providers can keep outlets connected and provide essential services to their clients.

“By expanding and guaranteeing network availability, companies can reduce costs, increase their market presence, operate in underserved areas, and uphold the quality of their customer experience.”