SA-Satellite-Comms-Market-Segmentation-2026

SA Satellite Comms Report 2026

 

Market focus

South African retail satellite telecommunications market (B2B and B2C) across all access segments and use cases.

Key research components

Market sizing, segmentation and forecasts, key product and pricing trends, competitive dynamics and technology and infrastructure availability. High level review of global market as context for local trends.

Methodology

Extensive secondary research

Interviews with key industry players

Bottom up and top-down analysis.  Forecasting methods include exponential smoothing and cause and effect methodologies (scenario building).

Key research questions

  • What is the likely uptake and impact of new generation LEO services in the overall SA broadband market – B2C & B2B?  Will it significantly impact FTTx and Fixed-LTE/5G negatively, or will it be mainly complementary to existing broadband access media?  How affordable will it be?
  • Where are the big opportunities/niches and how soon can they be unlocked, considering possible growth constraints? How will SA differ from other countries in this regard? What levels of capacity will the new generation satellites bring, and how will it be monetised?
  • Which players (satellite operators and local partners) will drive the market and benefit the most, and which will be left behind or threatened (considering various potential types of substitution)?

Table of Contents

  • Introduction and Keyn Take-outs
  • Introduction
  • Key Take-outs

International Trends – Key Satellite Systems and Constellations 

  • International Trends – Overview
  • Summary of Key LEO/MEO satellite deployments
  • Starlink
  • Amazon Leo – Planned Rollout
  • Eutelsat OneWeb – Planned Gen 2 Rollout
  • O3b mPower – Operational and Planned Rollout
  • GEO Systems & VHTS
  • Satellite direct-to-device (D2D) mobile communications

Technology &  Service Capability – Satellite Systems & Services and Use-Case Matching

  • Technology Trends & Service Capability – Chapter Outline
  • Technology Capability Overview
  • Key LEO Systems & Services – Starlink, OneWeb and Amazon Leo
  • Technical Characteristics – Comparison of OneWeb vs Starlink vs expected first commercial Amazon Leo services
  • Generalised Connectivity Characteristics – and Use-case Suitability Matching
  • Satellite connectivity styles / modes – classification and suitability for different sub-verticals and use-cases
  • Matching – Dominant satellite connectivity styles / modes suitable for different sub-verticals and use-cases

Local Supply-Side Analysis – Services and Players Currently Active in SA, Products and Pricing

  • Local Industry/Competitive Analysis – Chapter Outline
  • Roundup of LEO systems with high potential of market disruption in South Africa
  • Product & Price Roundup – Examples of current service offerings in SA in terms of suitability for B2C & B2B use-cases and indicative pricing and performance
  • OneWeb – Current Service Offerings in SA, Pricing and Performance
  • Starlink – Current Service Offerings, Pricing and Performance
  • Starlink vs GEO – Services currently available in the region
  • Satellite vs terrestrial communications

Local Demand Side – Customer Segments and Use Case Matching

  • Segments & Use-cases – Chapter Outline
  • Consumer Segment – Satellite Use Cases
  • Consumer Segment – Universe & Scope for Satellite Communications
  • Government Segment – Satellite Use Cases
  • Government Segment – Universe & Scope for Satellite Communications
  • Corporate & SME Segments – Satellite Use Cases
  • Corporate Segment – Universe & Scope for Satellite Communications
  • Formal SME Segment – Universe & Scope for Satellite Communications
  • Wholesale Segment – Telecoms Backhaul Use Cases and Scope

Market Segmentation Definitions and Taxonomy

  • Market Sizing & Segmentation Methodology
  • Taxonomy – Customer segments defined for the model
  • Notes on Matching to Customer Segments & Use Cases – ATMs
  • Notes on Matching to Customer Segments & Use Cases – Wholesale Backhaul for Mobile Networks

Market Sizing and Forecasts

  • Market Sizing & Forecasts – Chapter Outline
  • Market Sizing Methodology
  • Taxonomy – General model metrics and terminology
  • Summary Forecast Uptake – Active Terminals, B2B vs B2C
  • Summary Forecast Uptake – Active Terminals, B2B vs B2C
  • Potential B2B Satellite Uptake – Customer Segments and Use Cases
  • Forecast B2B Satellite Uptake Categorisation
  • Forecast Scenarios – Key Assumptions and Scenario Variations
  • Forecast Scenarios – Local Players’ Observations
  • Forecast B2B Satellite Uptake – by Technology-oriented Categorisation
  • Forecast B2B Satellite Uptake – Technology-oriented Categorisation
  • Forecast B2B Satellite Revenue – MRC by Technology-oriented Categorisation & assumed blended ARPUs

Annexure: Satellite-Based IoT – Trends & Potential

  • Overview of satellite-based IoT trends
  • Global Satellite-based IoT Adoption Trends (1)
  • Global Satellite – IoT Adoption Trends (2)
  • Global Satellite – IoT Adoption Trends (3) – Advancement of Terminal Devices & Platforms
  • International Opportunity Landscape – Customer Segments & Use Case
  • Potential adoption outlook for satellite-based IoT

Deliverables and format

  • PDF PowerPoint format, and Excel workbook
  • Clients are also entitled to a one-hour online workshop.

Related research

  • SA Broadband report
  • SA IoT report
  • ICT Vertical Markets report
  • SA SD-WAN Report

Further information

For further information and details on how to subscribe to our research services, please contact Anita Mathews at 011 540 8000 | 082 466 2317 | anita@bmit.africa

For more information on BMIT, our research and consulting services, visit our website www.bmit.africa