Telecom giant Vodafone has signed a major agreement with Amazon Leo, Amazon’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network, to connect more 4G and 5G mobile base stations in hard-to-reach areas, dramatically improving coverage and network resilience across Europe and Africa.
The partnership enables Vodafone to deploy base stations more quickly and cost-effectively in regions without existing fibre or fixed wireless infrastructure, bypassing the high expenses and delays associated with traditional backhaul methods. Amazon Leo provides high-speed connectivity—up to 1 Gbps download and 400 Mbps upload—linking remote masts directly to Vodafone’s core network.
The deal also enhances network reliability for emergency and critical services, ensuring continuity even if terrestrial fibre links are damaged by floods, disasters, or other disruptions.
Vodafone CEO Margherita Della Valle stated: “Vodafone is looking to space to connect more mobile base stations to our core network, and strengthen resilience even in the most challenging environments. Amazon Leo’s new satellite constellation supports our ambition to give all Vodafone customers reliable and high-speed connectivity, wherever they are.”
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Panos Panay, Senior Vice President of Amazon Devices & Services, added: “Connectivity shouldn’t depend on where you live. With Amazon Leo, we’re helping bring fast, reliable broadband to places traditional infrastructure can’t easily reach – from rural communities to critical emergency networks. Partnering with Vodafone and Vodacom is an important step toward connecting millions more people across Europe and Africa and expanding access to the digital services that power modern life.”
Implementation begins immediately in Germany and other European countries, where Vodafone will use Amazon Leo to backhaul widely dispersed mobile sites. The rollout will then expand progressively across Africa through Vodafone’s subsidiary Vodacom, which operates in multiple markets, including South Africa, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and others.
Shameel Joosub, CEO of Vodacom, emphasized the African impact: “At Vodacom, we are working every day to bring more people in Africa online and in reach of vital digital services. Partnering with Amazon Leo enables us to swiftly deploy mobile connectivity in isolated areas, allowing us to efficiently expand our reach to more customers throughout the African continent.”
The first mobile sites are slated for connection later in 2026, with further scaling as Amazon Leo deploys additional satellites (the constellation already has over 200 in orbit, with hundreds more prepared for launch). This move aligns with Vodafone’s broader push for universal connectivity and Vodacom’s Vision 2030 goals for digital inclusion across the continent.
