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Elon Musk’s Starlink will invest $113 million to provide satellite internet services in South Africa as it looks to increase its presence on the continent.
Under the proposed deal, 16 countries could gain access to Starlink’s internet services, South Africa’s Business Day reported.
But questions remain: Musk has rejected giving up equity in order to meet Pretoria’s Black empowerment rules, which the billionaire has called “openly racist,” and the government is yet to make a decision on whether to award Starlink an operating license.
The expansion of satellite internet nevertheless means many in Africa may skip traditional broadband internet services entirely in favor of satellite connections: Just 36% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population has internet access, roughly half the global average.
