• Angola opens Angosat-2 satellite capacity to commercial telecom operators

• New hub enables startups, ISPs to expand connectivity nationwide

• Move targets remote areas, narrowing digital divide and boosting internet access

The Angolan government plans to open its national telecommunications satellite, Angosat-2, to commercial operators in a bid to expand internet access across the country. A dedicated hub was launched on Tuesday, Dec. 16, allowing startups, internet service providers (ISPs), and telecoms operators to connect directly to the satellite’s capacity.

The facility is based at the Satellite Control and Mission Center (MCC) in Funda and was presented by the National Space Program Management Office (GGPEN). It is linked to the “Conecta Angola Comercial” portal, a digital platform that serves as a one-stop system for requesting equipment, services, and satellite capacity from Angosat-2.

GGPEN officials said the new hub would lower technical and commercial barriers, enabling smaller companies to integrate satellite services into their offerings, speed up project deployment, and extend connectivity to areas where terrestrial networks remain limited.

“We want to enable small and medium-sized enterprises and startups to deliver connectivity and innovation services directly to communities,” said Mário Oliveira, Angola’s minister of telecommunications, information technologies, and social communication.

The move is part of the government’s broader effort to use space technology to improve the quality and reach of telecommunications services, with a particular focus on remote and underserved communities in an effort to narrow the digital divide. Angola launched Angosat-2 into orbit in October 2022 in partnership with Russia, and President João Lourenço authorized its commercial operation in January 2023.

One of the satellite’s flagship applications is the “Conecta Angola” program launched in 2023. Led by state-owned operator Angola Telecom, the initiative aims to provide free internet access in remote parts of the country where no mobile operator is present, using Angosat-2’s capacity. It targets public institutions such as schools, hospitals, and municipal administrations. GGPEN says the project has already enabled dozens of internet access points and benefited hundreds of thousands of users.

Angola had 17.2 million internet users at the start of 2025, representing an internet penetration rate of 44.8%, according to DataReportal. At the beginning of 2023, when the satellite’s commercialization began, the country had 11.78 million users, for a penetration rate of 32.6%.

Isaac K. Kassouwi