OneWeb Launches LEO Broadband in South Africa with Paratus, Challenges SpaceX's Starlink

OneWeb, a rising star in the global satellite communication sphere, has successfully beaten space frontrunner SpaceX's Starlink to the punch by launching its low-earth orbit (LEO) broadband service in South Africa, in collaboration with telecoms company Paratus and satellite operator Eutelsat. This venture is set to revolutionize the way remote and underserved regions of South Africa, and eventually over 35 African countries, access the Internet.

The introduction of OneWeb's services is timely for South Africa, a nation with far-reaching rural areas where conventional high-speed connectivity solutions are limited or non-existent. Paratus South Africa's managing director Kallie Carlsen hailed the launch as "momentous," a sentiment echoed by industries operating in isolated regions such as healthcare, government, mining, agriculture, tourism, and hospitality, all of which stand to benefit enormously.

OneWeb's LEO satellites are strategically positioned in orbit at 1,200km above the Earth, a stark contrast to the 35,000km geostationary (GEO) satellites' altitude traditionally used by most satellite Internet providers. The closeness of LEO satellites to Earth considerably diminishes the latency, making OneWeb's Internet service comparable to or even better than traditional terrestrial networks, especially for real-time applications, which older satellite technology is unable to accommodate effectively due to latencies above 600 milliseconds.

In partnership, Paratus and Eutelsat are demonstrating OneWeb's capability to overcome the unique challenges faced by the African continent. Cyril Dujardin, Eutelsat OneWeb co-general manager, highlighted the system's adaptability and scalability, which can potentially create a new communication benchmark in South Africa by serving diverse markets including banking and enterprise sectors.

Moreover, OneWeb's current focus on enterprise, business, and government clients poses a different approach to SpaceX's Starlink, which targets individual and business customers. This market positioning, coupled with OneWeb's strategic on-ground arrangements, is poised to give it a substantial competitive advantage in the region. The service boasts of sub-100ms latencies, which are critical to activities requiring real-time interactions.

A significant advance facilitating OneWeb's quick ascendancy is that SpaceX cannot deploy its ground stations within South Africa due to the lack of official approval. In contrast, OneWeb, through Eutelsat, has established robust ground connectivity in South Africa and other African nations.

The partnership's infrastructure strength is augmented by the Paratus core fibre network, spanning 10,000km across Sub-Saharan Africa and further supported by multiple data centres which offer high-capacity and resilient service. OneWeb's satellites are also linked to this network at the Teraco Isando data centre point of presence.

As a next step, Eutelsat OneWeb and Paratus aim to construct a gateway in Luanda, Angola, set to be functional by 2024, advancing the rollout to more countries in Africa. This strategic expansion signifies not only growth but also a commitment to bridging the digital divide across the continent.

In essence, OneWeb's LEO broadband in South Africa heralds a new chapter in Africa's connectivity, offering viable and efficient alternatives to terrestrial services and showcasing the potential of satellite technology in transforming communications for millions of Africans.