CHAMWE KAIRA
Paratus Group, which has already launched Starlink services in Botswana, Mozambique and Zambia, is actively working on expanding its low earth orbit (LEO) offerings to more African countries as regulatory environments and satellite coverage permit.
Chief Technical Officer, Rolf Mendelsohn, has said the company has launched the fastest express route from Johannesburg to Europe recently.
“We have created an east-west African fibre route from Maputo to Swakopmund, we landed the Google subsea Equiano cable in Namibia and have built 4 Tier III by design data centres in Africa,” said Mendelsohn.
He added that Paratus is positioning itself to offer an extensive LEO satellite network across Africa as it overcomes regulatory and satellite coverage hurdles through its partnership agreements with global low-earth orbit satellite operators.
Paratus already owns and runs an extensive V-SAT network with teleport facilities in Angola, Botswana, Namibia and South Africa.
“With the addition of LEO satellite technology, Paratus is offering an unmatched one-stop solution for enterprises and institutions that not only need high-speed capacity and connectivity in these countries. Even in the most remote and offshore areas but to anywhere in the world. This is particularly significant for the retail, healthcare, education, mining and oil and gas sectors,” said Mendelsohn.
Paratus Group has established partnerships with global LEO satellite operators, positioning itself as a key African partner.
“Paratus was born in Africa. We are rooted in Africa, and we understand what the market needs. This is why we have invested so heavily in our own infrastructure. With LEO satellite connectivity complementing our extensive African network, Paratus is now the go-to partner for any enterprise that needs reliable connectivity in the most remote places. High-quality connectivity, be that through fibre, wireless, or satellite services, is championing Africa’s future and championing anyone in the world that wants to connect with Africa,” he said.
Mendelsohn said the company has always known that reliable, fast, and secure connectivity will be the key to unlocking the enormous potential that exists in Africa. With LEO satellite technology, Paratus is broadening its network offerings even further to provide unlimited connectivity for its current markets, with plans to expand across the continent.
Elon Musk’s Starlink, the satellite internet company, has applied for a license to enter the Namibian market, according to Chief Executive Officer of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) Emilia Nghikembua. Starlink operates in other African countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia and Benin.
