en.Wedoany.com Reported - On July 15, Amazon's low Earth orbit satellite network, Amazon Leo, signed a distribution agreement with South African fixed internet service provider Herotel to deploy satellite internet in South Africa through a new service called evry. The service is planned to commence commercial operations in 2027, initially targeting residential users, marking Amazon Leo's first market partnership of its kind in Africa.
Herotel will become Amazon Leo's authorized distributor for the residential market in South Africa, responsible for terminal installation, customer service, on-site operations and maintenance, and regulatory licensing required for service deployment. Herotel currently serves over 350,000 active users through fiber and fixed wireless networks, covering more than 550 towns and cities, with 120 offices nationwide. This existing operational network will handle satellite terminal installation and local maintenance once evry goes live, allowing Amazon Leo to avoid relying entirely on remote service systems.
evry focuses on covering farms, small towns, remote residential areas, and regions difficult to reach with traditional communication networks. In areas with long distances, complex terrain, or low population density, the cost of laying fiber and building fixed wireless networks is high. After accessing evry, users can connect to the Amazon Leo satellite network by installing a small phased array antenna pointed toward the sky, without requiring pre-existing fiber or fixed wireless infrastructure at the residential location.
Amazon Leo satellites operate in low Earth orbit at an altitude of approximately 590 kilometers, significantly lower than traditional geostationary communication satellites, reducing signal transmission latency. As of the announcement of this partnership, Amazon Leo has deployed over 390 satellites, with the current scale supporting initial service activation at certain latitudes, and subsequent launches will expand coverage and network capacity.
Currently disclosed technical targets indicate that evry residential service download speeds can reach up to 400 Mbps, high-performance enterprise terminal download speeds can reach up to 1 Gbps, and network latency is expected to be approximately 50 milliseconds. Specific package prices, terminal costs, and launch timelines for various regions in South Africa have not yet been announced. Users can currently register their area and service needs through the evry platform, awaiting official launch notifications.
Compared to simply increasing the number of satellites in orbit, this partnership fills the ground delivery gap in the South African market. Amazon Leo provides the satellite constellation, network capacity, and user access technology, while Herotel handles local distribution, installation, regulatory licensing, and on-site maintenance. With evry launching in 2027, Amazon Leo's satellite communication capabilities in South Africa will transition from orbital network construction to large-scale user terminal deployment and commercial service phases.
