MTN, the Pan-African telecommunications group, is in discussions with various satellite service providers, including SpaceX’s Starlink, to extend its services to underserved regions within its operational market.
Currently, enterprise-grade trials with Starlink are ongoing in Rwanda and Nigeria, while other initiatives involve trials with Lynk Global in South Africa and Ghana, as well as discussions with AST SpaceMobile and Eutelsat OneWeb for potential trials in Nigeria, South Sudan, and South Africa.
MTN’s Chief Technology and Information Officer, Mazen Mroué, emphasized the importance of partnerships in achieving their Ambition 2025 goal of leading digital solutions for Africa’s progress.
Collaborating with satellite providers, especially those in low earth orbit (LEO), aims to connect remote areas efficiently, contributing to the company’s target of 95% broadband population coverage across its footprint by 2025.
Mroué highlighted the advantages of LEO satellites, such as shorter orbital periods and lower latency, crucial for real-time communication. MTN sees satellite connectivity as a means to address coverage gaps in challenging terrains and sparsely populated areas, complementing their terrestrial network.
The mention of Starlink’s presence in Nigeria is noted, with an expectation that a partnership with MTN will help address the accessibility issues faced by many Nigerians in rural areas due to the current cost of hardware and subscriptions.
