Amazon’s Project Kuiper Expands to Africa, Challenging Starlink

Amazon’s Project Kuiper is steadily advancing through its deployment and testing phase and is well on its way to becoming a global player in the satellite internet race. Following the successful launch of its prototype satellites in late 2023 and the first wave of operational satellites in 2025, the company has entered a critical stage: building out its constellation and preparing for commercial rollout.

While still in its rollout phase, Amazon is actively testing its network, conducting pilot programs in select regions like Brazil, and developing ground infrastructure that will anchor its future coverage areas. Among its top priorities are Africa and the Middle East, where the company is laying the groundwork to bring reliable, high-speed broadband to millions who remain underserved or entirely unconnected.

With these efforts, Project Kuiper is positioning itself as the most serious challenger yet to Elon Musk’s Starlink, signaling Amazon’s intent to compete for dominance in the next major frontier of global connectivity, from orbit to the world’s most remote communities.

What Is Project Kuiper?

Project Kuiper is Amazon’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite broadband network designed to deliver fast, affordable, and low-latency internet to homes, schools, hospitals, businesses, and governments across the globe.

It’s one of Amazon’s most ambitious technology projects to date, a multibillion-dollar effort to deploy a constellation of over 3,200 satellites that will form a vast mesh network in space. Each satellite is equipped with optical laser interlinks, enabling direct communication with other satellites in orbit, thereby enhancing data routing efficiency and reducing the need for constant ground relays.

The concept is straightforward: to bridge the digital divide by connecting unserved and underserved communities where traditional infrastructure, like fiber or cellular towers, is not economically viable.

After years of planning, Amazon launched its first two prototype satellites, KuiperSat-1 and KuiperSat-2, aboard an Atlas V rocket in October 2023. The mission validated key technologies, including antenna performance, network throughput, and link stability.

The first operational satellites began launching in April 2025, marking the start of full-scale deployment. Several additional launches have taken place since, with more scheduled throughout the year as Amazon builds toward its initial constellation.

Project Kuiper is currently in the testing and development phase. Early trials, including temporary test connections in two Brazilian towns, are helping Amazon fine-tune performance ahead of a planned commercial rollout in mid-2026. By the end of March 2026, Kuiper expects to serve its first five countries, with partners such as Far EasTone Telecommunications in Taiwan eyeing early 2027 for full consumer offerings.

The Starlink Rivalry: Amazon’s Answer to Musk’s Satellite Network

Project Kuiper is widely recognized as Amazon’s direct response to Starlink, the satellite internet network operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Both projects share the same mission, bringing global broadband connectivity from orbit, but their operational stages and strategies differ significantly.

Starlink currently dominates the LEO broadband space, with over two million subscribers across more than 100 countries. However, its progress in certain regions, particularly Africa, has been slowed by regulatory and ownership hurdles.

In South Africa, for example, Starlink remains unlicensed because it has not complied with local laws requiring at least 30% ownership by black investors for telecommunications licensees. This delay has created a window of opportunity for Amazon, which is now moving quickly to establish its presence.

Unlike SpaceX, Amazon has the advantage of a global corporate footprint, a deep regulatory network, and access to Amazon Web Services (AWS), its cloud computing powerhouse. Together, these assets give Project Kuiper the potential to integrate satellite connectivity with cloud infrastructure, enabling services beyond consumer broadband, including enterprise data links, IoT applications, and cloud-driven logistics.

If Starlink has proven the model, Project Kuiper aims to industrialize it, leveraging Amazon’s logistical strength, financial resources, and operational reach to build a global internet backbone from space.

Expansion into Africa and the Middle East

While Kuiper continues its testing phase, Amazon’s strategic hiring and infrastructure development reveal where its first regional priorities lie: Africa and the Middle East.

The company recently posted an opening for a Technical Business Development Manager to be based in South Africa, a key market for Kuiper’s ground operations and partnerships. This role is crucial for driving the acquisition and development of ground infrastructure, including teleport locations, data centers, and ground stations that will connect the satellite network to terrestrial internet backbones.

According to Amazon’s job description, responsibilities will include:

Negotiating and securing ground station and teleport sites across Africa and the Middle East.
Coordinating with teams overseeing construction, fibre backhaul, and environmental compliance.
Managing relationships with local regulators and telecom partners to secure regional licensing.
Frequent regional travel to ensure on-the-ground execution aligns with Amazon’s expansion strategy.

In line with South Africa’s Employment Equity Act, Amazon has emphasized its commitment to hiring South African citizens, particularly those from historically disadvantaged groups.

Behind the scenes, industry sources report that Amazon has already begun early discussions with regional telecom operators and internet service providers, signaling active groundwork for future market entry.

Africa and the Middle East represent two of the most promising growth markets for LEO-based broadband, with vast rural populations and limited terrestrial internet infrastructure. By establishing a local presence early, Amazon is positioning Kuiper as a first-mover alternative in markets where Starlink’s expansion remains constrained.

The Broader Race for Satellite Internet Dominance

The competition between Amazon’s Project Kuiper and SpaceX’s Starlink is part of a larger global race, one that includes other players like OneWeb, Eutelsat, and China’s Guowang constellation. Each aims to redefine internet accessibility through networks of satellites orbiting just a few hundred kilometers above Earth.

The market potential is immense. According to analysts, satellite broadband could exceed $100 billion in global revenue by 2030, driven by demand from rural connectivity, maritime industries, aviation, and government sectors.

Amazon’s unique advantage lies in its scale and integration. Kuiper’s network can eventually tie into Amazon’s AWS cloud regions, logistics hubs, and Prime services, forming a vertically integrated ecosystem that no other LEO network currently possesses.

If fully realized, Project Kuiper won’t just offer internet access; it could become the infrastructure layer for Amazon’s global digital ecosystem, powering everything from IoT agriculture solutions in Kenya to cloud-enabled logistics in Dubai.

Looking Ahead

Project Kuiper’s full commercial launch remains over the horizon, with the first services expected in mid-2026. But its momentum is unmistakable.

By combining space technology with one of the world’s most powerful corporate infrastructures, Amazon is not only entering the satellite internet race, it’s reshaping it.

As the constellation grows and ground networks expand across Africa and the Middle East, one thing is clear: the next digital revolution may not be built on towers or cables, but on satellites orbiting just above our skies.