07 October 2025

Airtel Africa has successfully conducted satellite internet trials on a moving train traversing remote regions of sub-Saharan Africa.

The tests demonstrated that high-speed, uninterrupted internet could be reliably delivered over a distance of 669km through dense forests and inaccessible terrain where traditional network infrastructure such as cell towers and fibre optics are absent.

07 October 2025

Kallie Carlsen, MD of Paratus South Africa

The demand for increased connectivity across Africa is determined and shaped by the continent’s unique geography, population distribution and infrastructure. Africa spans vast geographical areas with low population density and this makes traditional infrastructure deployment expensive and therefore both economically and logistically challenging.

Another major challenge in many regions is unreliable power infrastructure. This means that these countries need connectivity solutions that have low power requirements or independent and backup power sources. Another complication is limited terrestrial infrastructure, with fibre connectivity being concentrated in urban centres and coastal regions. At the same time, there is an urgent need for affordable solutions, given the economic constraints across most markets, as well as resilience due to all the harsh environmental conditions and infrastructure vulnerabilities.