Minister explores Chinese alternative to Starlink for South Africa

South Africa’s communications minister, Solly Malatsi, travelled to China last week on a state visit, engaging with the country about its satellite broadband solutions.

Malatsi’s delegation consisted of Department of Communication and Digital Technologies members who intended to deepen digital collaboration between the two countries.

On the visit, the minister met with the China Satellite Network Company (CSNC), a state-owned entity established in 2021 to deploy and operate a broadband satellite constellation.

“During our discussions with the CSNC, we explored satellite broadband solutions designed to address last-mile connectivity challenges in rural and underserved communities,” the minister said.

“This aligns with our national priority to close the digital divide and ensure equitable access to essential services.”

Satellite broadband in this context refers to services, such as Starlink, which use low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellations to deliver last-mile connectivity.

Compared to geostationary satellites, which orbit the Earth at over 36,000km above the equator, LEO satellites do so between 500km and 2,000km.

Space News reported in 2021 that CSNC aims to eventually deploy two constellations consisting of 12,992 satellites and several sub-constellations ranging from 500 to 1,145 kilometres above the Earth’s surface.

Because they are closer to the Earth’s surface, LEO constellations allow for reduced delay and greater data transmission per second.

These constellations also allow users to access the Internet from remote areas, potentially revolutionising rural connectivity.

While South Africa’s 4G mobile network infrastructure covers roughly 99% of the country, accessing it can be costly and unsustainable for many.

A recent report by the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa found that only 14.5% of South Africans have access to a fixed Internet connection.

This refers to a wired or wireless connection provided to a specific location, which many refer to as Wi-Fi.

Malatsi also mentioned that his delegation discussed several other measures to decrease the digital divide in South Africa.

The minister said that he met with Chinese tech firms Huawei and Honor to secure partnerships to improve access to smart devices for learners and entrepreneurs.