In a move to bolster its internet service offerings ahead of the arrival of Starlink in Zimbabwe, TelOne, the state-owned telecommunications provider, has partnered with Eutelsat OneWeb, a subsidiary of the French satellite operator Eutelsat Group.
The partnership comes as Starlink, the low-earth orbit satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk's SpaceX, announced plans to launch operations in Zimbabwe in the third quarter of 2024. The impending debut of Starlink has already sparked a response from leading local internet service providers, who have cut their service charges in an effort to remain competitive.
According to TelOne CEO Lawrence Nkala, the partnership with Eutelsat OneWeb is a resale agreement, where TelOne will offer the satellite company's services to customers in Zimbabwe. While the commercial terms have not been finalized, Nkala stated that the deal will allow TelOne to introduce "flexible pricing models" to stay competitive.
Nkala acknowledged that in African countries where Starlink is already operational, the service offers data speeds of 100 to 200 megabytes per second, significantly faster than what local providers currently offer. He emphasized that TelOne's goal is to "attract and retain customers with competitive pricing" and ensure a "quality experience and responsiveness to client queries."
Despite the rise of satellite internet providers, Nkala emphasized that fiber optic technology remains the backbone of internet and broadband connectivity in Zimbabwe. He noted that while satellite services can provide backhaul for base stations, fiber's capacity is superior and will continue to play a crucial role in the country's internet infrastructure.
There has also been steady growth in mobile internet and data traffic in Zimbabwe, which increased by 24.9% in the first quarter of 2023, driven by the increased use of applications such as Netflix, YouTube, and social media platforms.
