SpaceX’s Starlink grew 85 per cent in connectivity in Brazil end ended 2025 on 606,200 customers according to data from the country’s media regulator Anatel.

The progress sees Starlink as the 13th-largest operator in Brazil, and while this is still way behind market leaders Claro (10.62 million subscribers) and Vivo (8.01 million). However, the progress can be judged as how fast Starlink is moving up the rankings. Two years ago it was 24th then in 2024 it had moved into the 15th position and in 2025 to its 13th position.

Anatel says that in areas with low population density, long distances, or more complex terrestrial infrastructure, satellite internet is gaining traction because it reduces dependence on extensive physical networks. Where cable takes a long time to arrive, satellite helps shorten access time to broadband.

However, Anatel has permitted a Chinese company, SpaceSail, to operate 324 low-orbit satellites starting in the fourth quarter of 2026 and in the progress becoming the first country in Latin America to enable the Chinese company and expanding competition in the local satellite broadband market. Spacesail will reportedly install six Earth station teleport/gateways in the country with first two confirmed for São Paulo and Brasilia. SpaceSail will use Ku-band and Q/V-band frequencies for its activity.

Meanwhile, Starlink is moving a little closer to gaining permission to operate in South Africa. Local regulations require foreign businesses to have a ‘Black Empowerment’ [Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, B-BEEE-ICT] percentage in its financial structure. SpaceX has offered to side-step this ruling by investing in ‘black’ businesses.

In a statement on April 8, the B-BEE ICT council, established under section 9 of the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act as the statutory body responsible for overseeing the implementation of B-BBEE in the ICT sector, invited the public to submit written comments on the existing rules by 20 May 2026.

But South Africa’s bureaucracy moves at a snail-like pace. This review will be followed by a second phase examination and the date for Phase 2 has yet to be given. In February the South Africa Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Solly Malatsi, recommended the approval of Dell’s Equity Equivalent Investment Programme application, which if approved, could help open the path for Starlink’s South African entry.

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Categories: Articles, Broadband, Satellite

Tags: brazil, south africa, starlink