Q-KON is expanding its satellite connectivity services into Namibia and Angola, as the South African satellite engineering firm targets growing demand for enterprise broadband across Africa.
The company has rolled out its Twoobii-OneWeb low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite services in Namibia and partnered with Angolan ICT provider SISTEC to establish a local satellite point-of-presence.
This is according to Q-KON Group CEO Dr Dawie de Wet, in an e-mail interview with ITWeb. He notes the expansion is targeting businesses operating in remote areas, including mining, agriculture and tourism, while addressing local regulatory and data-handling requirements.
In Namibia, Q-KON has deployed services approved by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia, working with local partners Echo Namibia and Oblixx Communication Networks.
In Angola, its partnership with SISTEC allows Q-KON to integrate satellite services into local core networks, supporting local IP address allocation and helping keep data traffic within the country where required.
The local point-of-presence also helps address “traffic tromboning”, where data travels through an international gateway before returning to its destination within the same country, potentially adding unnecessary latency.
“In Angola, our partnership with SISTEC allows us to integrate natively into local core networks, offering local IP address allocation, regulatory alignment and tier-three engineering support,” says De Wet.
Q-KON delivers Twoobii satellite services using Eutelsat OneWeb’s LEO network, targeting businesses that need reliable connectivity beyond the reach of terrestrial infrastructure.
De Wet says demand is shifting from trial deployments to commercial adoption as businesses increasingly view satellite connectivity as part of their core network infrastructure.
“Businesses have seen during trials that high-speed, low-latency LEO solutions – like our Twoobii-OneWeb service – can genuinely match terrestrial standards,” he says.
Satellite competition intensifies
Q-KON’s expansion comes as satellite operators increase their presence across Africa, with competition spanning consumer broadband, enterprise connectivity and services supporting mobile network operators.
SpaceX’s Starlink had expanded into 26 African markets by June 2026, with approximately 300 000 customers across the continent, according to Space in Africa. Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Zambia accounted for about 64% of its African subscriber base.
In South Africa, Starlink remains unable to launch commercial services because it has yet to secure the required electronic communications licences.
Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is preparing to enter the South African market through a distribution agreement with Herotel. The service is expected to launch commercially in 2027 under Herotel’s evry brand.
Other operators are targeting enterprise and wholesale connectivity. UK-based Avanti Communications is expanding its South African business, focusing on enterprise customers, rural connectivity and mobile backhaul. It has partnered with Q-KON to offer OneWeb LEO services, alongside its existing satellite infrastructure.
Established providers and telecommunications infrastructure companies are also using satellite networks to extend coverage to underserved areas and support services where terrestrial infrastructure is unavailable or unreliable.
These include Eutelsat OneWeb, SES, Viasat and connectivity providers such as Liquid Intelligent Technologies and Seacom.
De Wet says Q-KON’s focus is on enterprise customers that require regulatory compliance, service-level agreements, local billing and integration with existing corporate networks.
“It has certainly created a unique window of opportunity, but our competitive-edge isn't built on regulatory vacuums – it's built on compliance, integration and enterprise value,” he says.
Businesses seek alternatives
In South Africa, demand for satellite connectivity is being driven partly by the need to maintain operations amid cable theft, infrastructure vandalism and power disruptions affecting terrestrial networks.
De Wet identifies retail, mining, financial services and education as sectors increasingly adopting satellite broadband for primary connectivity, or as a secondary link for failover.
He says satellite also provides an alternative for remote mines, agricultural operations and industrial sites where extending fibre infrastructure may be commercially unviable or take years.
“Fibre is fantastic, but it is not a silver bullet for 100% geographic coverage,” he says.
While fibre remains cost-effective in densely populated urban areas, De Wet argues that lower-cost LEO technology is strengthening the business case for satellite in remote locations and for companies that cannot afford prolonged connectivity outages.
He adds that regulatory frameworks will play an important role in determining how quickly satellite services expand across the continent.
“Streamlined licensing processes for ground infrastructure, clear guidelines on cross-border data flows and faster approvals for innovative tech will significantly accelerate digital inclusion,” he says.
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