Editor’s Pick: Airtel Africa Achieves Historic Breakthrough with Satellite Internet on Moving Train
According to a recent LinkedIn post by Airtel Business Africa, Airtel Africa has achieved a historic breakthrough in railway connectivity by successfully testing satellite internet on a moving train in Sub-Saharan Africa. The trial demonstrated uninterrupted high-speed connectivity over 669 kilometres of remote and forested terrain, where traditional mobile and fibre networks are unavailable.
Powered by Airtel Satellite for Business and Eutelsat OneWeb’s low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, the system maintained a strong and stable connection throughout most of the route between key cities. Speeds reached up to 100 Mbps for downloads and 20 Mbps for uploads, matching the pilot’s traffic plan and confirming that consistent, high-capacity internet can be delivered in motion.
The success highlights the potential for enhanced railway safety, operational efficiency, and improved passenger experience through real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, on-board Wi-Fi, and digital services.
Following this pilot, Airtel and Eutelsat OneWeb plan to expand Airtel Satellite for Business across Nigeria, the DRC, Zambia, Madagascar, and Gabon, extending high-speed connectivity to remote regions and transport corridors across Africa.
You can read the full post here:
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/first-africa-airtel-successfully-tests-satellite-qzref