LONDON, March 2 (Reuters) - Mobile company Vodafone said on Monday it had signed a deal with Amazon Leo, the U.S. company's low Earth orbit satellite network, to connect 4G and 5G mobile masts in
Vodafone and Amazon Join Forces to Expand Mobile Connectivity in Remote Regions
Strategic Partnership to Enhance Connectivity in Europe and Africa
Overview of the Vodafone-Amazon Leo Agreement
LONDON, March 2 (Reuters) - Mobile company Vodafone said on Monday it had signed a deal with Amazon Leo, the U.S. company's low Earth orbit satellite network, to connect 4G and 5G mobile masts in remote areas in Europe and Africa.
Technical Details of the Satellite Connectivity
Amazon Leo will offer connections of up to 1 Gbps for download and 400 Mbps for upload to link Vodafone's network to masts in hard-to-reach locations, saving the expense of installing fibre, Vodafone said.
Implementation Timeline and Geographic Rollout
Vodafone will start using Amazon Leo to connect mobile base stations in Germany and other European countries this year before progressively rolling it out across Africa through its subsidiary Vodacom, it said.
Amazon Leo's Satellite Network Capacity
Amazon Leo has over 200 satellites in orbit and hundreds more built and ready for launch, Vodafone said.
Additional Satellite Connectivity Initiatives
Vodafone separately plans to offer satellite connections to its customers using standard smartphones with its partner AST SpaceMobile, but has yet to set a date for services to begin.
(Reporting by Paul SandleEditing by Peter Graff)
