Telecommunications company Vodacom Group has entered into a pivotal agreement with satellite broadband provider Starlink to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband Internet to millions of businesses across Africa and to expand rural network coverage.

The collaboration marks a crucial step in bridging the digital divide and unlocking new opportunities for economic growth, education and innovation across Africa.

“We are delighted to collaborate with Starlink, a move that accelerates our mission to connect every African to the Internet. Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology will help bridge the digital divide where traditional infrastructure is not feasible, and this partnership will unlock new possibilities for the unconnected,” said Vodacom Group CEO Shameel Joosub.

“Starlink is already serving people, businesses and organisations in 25 African countries. By collaborating with Vodacom, Starlink can deliver reliable, high-speed connectivity to even more customers, transforming lives and communities across the continent,” added SpaceX VP of Starlink operations Chad Gibbs.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Vodacom said that Starlink’s satellite backhaul integration into Vodacom’s mobile network will accelerate network coverage expansion while increasing network performance in rural areas.

This will deliver robust connectivity to remote schools, health centres and communities, empowering millions with access to digital services and information.

The collaboration further authorises Vodacom to resell Starlink equipment and services to enterprise and small business customers in Africa, while retaining the flexibility to create localised value propositions that consider the unique requirements and affordability of the African market.

“By listening to clients across a range of industries, including mining, oil and gas, agriculture, tourism, retail and financial services, we have created a suite of relevant products,” Joosub commented.

The product, leveraging terrestrial and space-based technologies, includes pay-as-you-use backup Internet; 100% unbreakable Internet; device-as-a-service; and branch network pooling.

This adds to Vodacom’s range of offerings, such as 4G, 5G, fibre, multiprotocol label switching, microwave and geostationary satellite coverage, across its markets, with Starlink’s high performance Internet is “a perfect addition” to the company’s bouquet of customer-centric offerings.

Vodacom’s Vision 2030 strategy aims to grow its customer base to 260-million and its financial services customers to 120-million within five years.

“By harnessing Starlink as a complementary layer, Vodacom is edging closer to universal coverage and reaffirming its commitment to connecting people to a better future.”