NetOne Partners with AST SpaceMobile to Launch 5G in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe will soon begin to beam 5G from Space.
It seems Zimbabwe's telecom providers are now in a race to bring 5G service to their users.
While Econet Wireless kickstarted Zimbabwe's 5G rollout back in February 2022, NetOne (the country's second-largest telecom provider) seems to be taking a different route: partnering with AST SpaceMobile, a U.S. satellite telecom firm to build a space-based mobile broadband network that'll bring satellite-powered 5G to Zimbabwe. They say this isn't just any satellite system as users won't need dishes or external hardware—just direct-to-phone connectivity.
So, instead of relying on thousands of smaller satellites and special receivers like Starlink, AST will send up fewer but larger ones that can beam 5G directly to phones. And it’s not just a theory. AST says they've already made a successful 5G voice call from Hawaii to Madrid using a regular Samsung Galaxy S22 device. Plus, they have five satellites already in orbit and plan to scale up to 60 by 2026 with help from SpaceX and Blue Origin.
Ogbonda Chivumnovu
For Zimbabwe, this could be a pretty huge deal. Instead of spending millions on infrastructure in rural or hard-to-reach areas, NetOne could use satellites to light up coverage zones that have never had stable internet with a flick of a satellite switch.
Given that the current internet speeds in Zimbabwe are a median download speed of approximately 37.10 Mbps, with an upload speed of 31.51 Mbps, and a latency of 119 ms, as reported by SpeedGeo, this partnership could bring significant improvements. While the exact promised internet speed for NetOne's 5G services isn't publicly available, 5G is generally expected to exceed the existing traditional broadband connections.
Looking beyond the industrial feat, this move could also support the goals of Zimbabwe’s National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1), which aims to build a knowledge-driven, tech-enabled economy. High-speed internet isn’t just about faster Netflix, it’s a backbone for economic growth, innovation, and better access to education and healthcare.
Now, while the partnership is official, the service isn't rolling out tomorrow or the next even. AST SpaceMobile only has five satellites up right now, mostly serving the U.S. But more are on the way, and Africa’s turn is coming. So, while you might not be surfing space-powered 5G next week, the wheels are very much in motion.
