Amazon’s satellite internet venture, Amazon Leo, is drawing growing scrutiny from financial analysts in South Africa as the company prepares to enter one of Africa’s most important broadband markets.
While Amazon has secured a distribution partnership with South African broadband provider Herotel, industry observers are questioning whether the service can compete with SpaceX’s Starlink, which already dominates the global low Earth orbit satellite internet market.
South Africa is expected to become one of the first countries where Amazon Leo will be commercially available.
Beginning in 2027, customers will be able to purchase the service through Herotel, which plans to market the offering under the new “Evry” brand.
The service will allow users to install a satellite dish that connects directly to Amazon’s low Earth orbit satellite network, providing internet access in areas where traditional broadband infrastructure remains limited.
Herotel CEO Van Zyl Botha described the partnership as a significant milestone for digital connectivity in South Africa.
“Evry represents the next chapter in what Herotel has been building for more than a decade,” Botha said.
He added that the company has always believed people living outside major metropolitan areas, including farms, small towns, townships, and rural communities, deserve reliable and affordable internet access.
Despite the optimism surrounding the launch, analysts remain cautious because Amazon Leo has not yet launched commercial services anywhere in the world.
The company expects its first beta rollout between late 2026 and early 2027, making South Africa one of its earliest testing grounds.
The biggest concern centres on the scale of Amazon’s satellite network.
SpaceX currently operates nearly 10,500 low Earth orbit satellites, giving Starlink extensive global coverage across more than 160 countries and territories, including 28 African nations.
By comparison, Amazon Leo currently has only 396 satellites in orbit. The company plans to expand that number to more than 3,200 satellites by 2029 and ultimately exceed 7,700 satellites by 2035 as part of its long term global deployment strategy.
Satellite numbers matter because they directly influence network coverage, capacity, speed, and latency. A larger constellation typically delivers more reliable service and can support significantly more customers.
For now, Starlink’s sizeable lead suggests it will continue to offer broader coverage and stronger network performance while Amazon works to scale its infrastructure.
The competition between the two companies could reshape Africa’s satellite broadband market over the next decade.
Increased rivalry may encourage greater investment, wider internet access, and improved affordability for underserved communities across the continent.
However, until Amazon Leo proves its technology through commercial deployment, questions over its ability to match Starlink’s performance are likely to remain a key talking point among investors, industry experts, and consumers alike.
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