• Algeria launches bid for two NGSO satellite telecom licenses

• Move aims to expand broadband access and reduce digital gaps

• Opens potential entry for Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Kuiper

Algerian authorities have decided to open the satellite communications market to competition, allowing new players into a segment that has until now been dominated by public entities. The move aims to reduce the digital divide and extend coverage across the country.

In this context, the Regulatory Authority for Post and Electronic Communications (ARPCE) on April 9 launched a call for bids for two licenses. These licenses cover the establishment and operation of public electronic communications networks using non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) satellites.

“This step marks an important milestone in strengthening Algeria’s digital infrastructure, complementing existing systems. It aims to expand high-speed internet access nationwide, especially in hard-to-reach areas. Through this initiative, we seek to support digital transformation and broaden coverage,” said Minister of Post and Telecommunications Sid Ali Zerrouki.

According to the ministry, the initiative also seeks to diversify electronic communication services, stimulate market competition, and ensure equitable access to the internet. It also includes the development of Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, particularly in agriculture, mining, and transport.

Currently, public companies Algérie Télécom Satellite (ATS) and Djezzy are the only operators authorized to provide satellite services in Algeria, following the shutdown of Divona Algérie in 2019. Mobile operator Djezzy holds a VSAT license, allowing it to deploy satellite-based communication networks to connect remote sites and deliver connectivity services, mainly to businesses.

ATS, for its part, holds both VSAT and GMPCS licenses, enabling it to provide fixed satellite connectivity as well as mobile satellite communication services.

Which players are targeted by the call for bids?

According to ARPCE, the call for bids is open to holders of licenses to establish and operate public satellite communication networks of the VSAT type in Algeria. It also targets operators with global NGSO satellite constellations, potentially opening the market to low-Earth orbit (LEO) providers, a segment that is expanding rapidly across the continent.

This could pave the way for companies such as Starlink, currently the leading provider of consumer satellite internet services in Africa. The company operates a growing constellation of thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites and claims global coverage, including across Africa. It has already launched services in about 30 countries on the continent, mainly in sub-Saharan Africa. In Algeria, as in most North African countries, “service availability is currently unknown.”

“Starlink supports video calls, online gaming, streaming, and other high data-rate activities that were historically not possible with satellite internet. It is particularly suited to areas where connectivity is unreliable or unavailable. Around the world, communities use Starlink to access education, healthcare services, and communication tools during natural disasters,” the company says on its website.

French group Eutelsat, through its OneWeb constellation, is also active in Africa, offering high-speed, low-latency connectivity solutions. Its network includes more than 600 satellites distributed across 12 synchronized orbital planes at an altitude of about 1,200 kilometers above Earth. The company primarily serves internet service providers and telecom operators, which then resell services to end users.

Amazon is also preparing to enter the satellite internet market in Africa with its Amazon Leo project (formerly Project Kuiper), with a business model similar to Starlink’s. The group has already engaged with authorities in several countries, including Kenya, Liberia, South Africa, and Nigeria, where it has secured initial licenses. Commercial rollout is expected in 2026.

Isaac K. Kassouwi