Amazon Leo set for 2027 South Africa launch with local internet provider partnership

Amazon Leo, Amazon’s satellite internet service, is nearing its official launch in South Africa after securing a partnership deal with Herotel, the local company that will serve as its distributor.

The structure of Amazon’s entry into South Africa differs from what Elon Musk’s Starlink has been exploring over the last two years. For the former, the goal is to establish its presence in the country through different routes, such as the local partner it just secured. 

An approval for a direct licence in SA is facing significant hurdles owing to the local ownership rule. Amazon Leo is now bypassing that with its partnership with Herotel. 

“Herotel will acquire all the necessary licensing to launch the service. Herotel will be holding the licences in this agreement.” Trevor Vieweg, head of Amazon Leo’s global business, said in South Africa on Tuesday. 

Vieweg added that the company will be looking for more partners in the future.

“They’re our first announced partner in South Africa. We do expect the market and demand is strong, so we will likely work with other partners,” he said. 

While Amazon Leo is known as a global satellite technology company, Herotel, the Maziv-owned internet service provider and fibre/wireless network operator, will bring the satellite services to  South Africans. Herotel simply serves as the service distributor.

Amazon Leo hardware models in SA

In terms of delivery, both companies will launch a new service called Evry to bring satellite broadband to homes and small businesses across the country. Amazon Leo’s commercial launch is expected in 2027, with customer registration already open for potential users at evry.co.za. 

According to the website, registration is free. After registration, potential subscribers are added to the waiting list, where they get updates on when the device (Evry) is available for purchase. 

While there’s no information yet on subscription and prices of hardware, Amazon is expected to offer two ranges of equipment in South Africa. 

The first is the Nano equipment, offering up to 100 megabytes per second (Mbps), and comes with a 17.8cm × 17.8cm size with 1.0kg weight. Another is the Pro equipment, expected to offer up to 300 Mbps with 27.5cm × 27.9cm and 2.4kg weight.

Also Read: Beyond Starlink: Amazon Leo, Spacesail, Space24 seek entry into South Africa.

Amazon gains ground on Starlink

The development comes days after South African Communications Minister Solly Malatsi revealed that several satellite internet services, alongside Starlink and Amazon Leo, are seeking regulatory approval to operate their Low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite services. 

Starlink will now need to catch up with Amazon Leo in SA.

Recall that Starlink’s efforts to launch in South Africa have been unyielding, largely due to the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Act, a rule that demands 30% local ownership in foreign businesses. 

Starlink is still exploring the equivalent investment programmes (EEIPs) option, a proposed alternative to the BBBE rule, where the implementation is dependent on the review of the South African ICT law. 

However, partnering with a local distributor might be an indirect way for presence in South Africa. Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) said in a notice last month that satellite operators cannot currently obtain the necessary network licences and that the realistic route into the market is through an existing licence holder.

Outside South Africa, Amazon Leo is doubling down on its footprint in Africa.

Its operating licence has been approved in Nigeria, which runs from January 2026 to December 2032, with the official launch expected in 2027. In November, the company launched Amazon Bazaar in Nigeria, a standalone mobile app targeting budget-conscious consumers with hundreds of thousands of lifestyle and fashion products priced mostly under ₦15,000.

In Kenya, Amazon Leo has applied for telecom gateway licences to construct its first African ground station. This positions Kenya as a primary entry point for its broadband network.