Madagascar has become the third African market to test direct-to-cell satellite connectivity, after Airtel Madagascar completed a live trial in partnership with SpaceX and the Ministry of Digital Development, Posts and Telecommunications (MNDPT).
The demonstration took place in Sadabe on 11 July, in the presence of Minister Mahefa Andriamampiadana, officials from the Communications Regulatory Authority (ARTEC), the National Disaster Risk Management Office (BNGRC), and other partners.
The trial delivered Madagascar’s first WhatsApp video call over satellite. Participants also exchanged messages, placed voice and video calls, and accessed platforms including Facebook and YouTube, all on a standard 4G smartphone with no additional hardware.
Direct-to-cell technology, also known as Direct-to-Device or Supplemental Coverage from Space (SCS), turns low-Earth-orbit satellites into orbiting cell towers, allowing conventional handsets to connect directly when they fall outside terrestrial mobile coverage.
For now, the government has framed the trial around digital inclusion, reaffirming its commitment to technologies that accelerate access while ensuring compliance with legal requirements, digital sovereignty, and security standards.
The wider question, as the model moves from demonstration to deployment across Airtel’s African footprint, is how quickly regulatory approvals, spectrum arrangements, and finite satellite capacity translate the promise of coverage into consistent everyday service.
Source: https://spaceinafrica.com/2026/07/16/madagascar-becomes-the-third-african-market-to-trial-direct-to-cell-satellite-connectivity/