Airtel Africa partnered with Eutelsat to pull off a regional first by delivering satellite internet services to a moving train across 669 kilometres of remote terrain.
In a test conducted in sub-Saharan Africa supported by Eutelsat OneWeb’s low-earth orbit (LEO) network, the operator maintained stable high-speed connectivity as the vehicle travelled through remote and forested areas underserved by traditional network coverage.
Download speeds hit 100 Mb/s while uplink reached 20Mb/s, meeting performance targets.
The operator group highlighted the connection was sustained through almost the entire journey between key urban centres, with minimal interruptions and low latency.
It added satellite-powered internet enables real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance and improved emergency response. The connectivity boost also paves the way for fresh customer-facing services such as onboard Wi-Fi, streaming, e-ticketing and live travel updates.
Luc Serviant, group enterprise director at Airtel Africa, hailed the trial as a “historic breakthrough” demonstrating the potential for LEO satellite technology to bridge connectivity gaps in critical infrastructure and boost industries including transport, mining and energy.
The pilot, part of Airtel’s Satellite for Business initiative, kicks-off a wider rollout across Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Madagascar and Gabon, targeting hard-to-reach areas.