The partnership will launch in Tanzania, where unconnected.org will introduce the KONNECT community Wi-Fi service to local partners, including ISPs, NGOs, system integrators, and government stakeholders through a commercial model designed to accelerate return on investment, expand digital access in underserved and hard to reach places, and support long-term delivery.
The initiative will also lay the groundwork for expansion into additional African countries, as the two organisations collaborate to extend digital access across the continent.
Powered by the EUTELSAT KONNECT satellite, the Community Wi-Fi service provides high-speed connectivity to locations beyond the reach of terrestrial networks, enabling schools, healthcare centres and small businesses to access essential online resources. Positioned at the 7° East orbital position, EUTELSAT KONNECT is a high-throughput satellite offering unprecedented operational flexibility and delivering significant resources for broadband services across Africa.
Philippe Baudrier, Vice President for Africa at Eutelsat, said the company is already seeing the tangible impact that satellite broadband can have in communities across Africa. “Through EUTELSAT KONNECT, we are already seeing the tangible impact that satellite broadband can have in communities across Africa, from schools and clinics to local entrepreneurs,” said Baudrier. “Partnering with unconnected.org allows us to extend this reach even further, supporting the development of sustainable, community-based connectivity that delivers real social and economic value.”
Mea Thompson, CCO at unconnected.org, said Eutelsat KONNECT plays a critical role in Tanzania by extending connectivity into areas that have historically been impossible to serve in a sustainable way. “Eutelsat KONNECT plays a critical role in Tanzania by extending connectivity into areas that have historically been impossible to serve in a sustainable way,” said Thompson. “By lowering the cost of backhaul, it enables viable business models that allow local ISPs and community partners to achieve a return on investment whilst connecting the unconnected. This is exactly the kind of solution needed to scale digital access in a way that is both impactful and commercially sustainable.”
The collaboration builds on Eutelsat’s ongoing commitment to digital inclusion. At the beginning of 2025, Eutelsat reached a major milestone by connecting one million people in Sub-Saharan Africa to satellite internet, two years ahead of its initial target, fulfilling its pledge under the Partner2Connect Digital Coalition led by the International Telecommunication Union.
