Bayobab inks LEO satellite partnership with Eutelsat, OneWeb

Eutelsat Group and Bayobab have announced a multi-year agreement for low-Earth orbit (LEO) capacity on Eutelsat's OneWeb constellation with the aim to deliver fixed connectivity services across Africa.

Eutelsat said the collaboration seeks to address the connectivity needs for enterprises and cellular backhaul, providing reliable solutions to enhance network performance and customer experience across the continent.

Eutelsat Group was formed through the combination of Eutelsat and OneWeb in 2023, becoming the first fully integrated GEO-LEO satellite operator with a fleet of 35 geostationary (GEO) satellites and a low-Earth orbit (LEO) constellation of more than 600 satellites.

Bayobab, a subsidiary of MTN Group, is a digital and infrastructure service provider. Its terrestrial fiber footprint stretches 114,000km across Africa and its network connects to 16 subsea cables.

The deal with Eutelsat's OneWeb constellation will help Bayobab improve coverage in rural areas and provide high-quality connectivity and reduced latency.

The roll-out roadmap will see implementation completed across the continent by December 2024, with services already available in four African countries, the companies said in a joint statement.

Eutelsat Group has a fleet of 35 GEO satellites and a constellation of more than 600 LEO satellites. (Source: Eutelsat OneWeb)

"We are proud to count Bayobab and the broader MTN Group amongst Africa's early adopters of the Eutelsat/OneWeb LEO constellation. This partnership underscores the commitment of both Eutelsat and Bayobab to drive digital inclusion, and the pertinence of innovative satellite solutions to achieve this aim, notably the unique properties of ubiquitous, low latency LEO capacity," said Cyril Dujardin, co-president of the Eutelsat Group Connectivity Business Unit.

Bayobab CEO Frédéric Schepens said the partnership with Eutelsat and the integration of OneWeb's LEO satellite services into Bayobab's solutions will bring cutting-edge digital connectivity to even the most remote corners of the continent.

Eutelsat and Bayobab said the partnership marks a step forward in bridging the digital divide in Africa and the deployment and integration of LEO satellite technology will provide enhanced connectivity solutions to empower communities across the continent.

Growing network reach

Eutelsat, OneWeb and Bayobab have been growing their reach across Africa over the past year.

In May 2024, Liquid Intelligent Technologies announced a distribution partner agreement with Eutelsat Group to make enterprise-grade LEO satellite services available in Africa through its Liquid Dataport business.

In January 2024, Eutelsat OneWeb also signed a deal with specialist connectivity provider Paratus South Africa to enhance Paratus' connectivity offering in South Africa and provide satellite connectivity to more rural areas.

In June 2024, Bayobab announced plans to build a fiber optic cable network across South Sudan.

In November 2023, Bayobab signed a memorandum of understanding with Smart Africa Alliance and Africa50 to support the Project East2West initiative, which aims to connect the eastern shores of Africa to those on the west coast via terrestrial fiber.

— Paula Gilbert, Editor, Connecting Africa