• The GSMA has released a regulatory playbook to help African regulators develop consistent rules for satellite connectivity services.
• The guide outlines eight regulatory pillars covering issues ranging from national security and consumer protection to taxation and law enforcement.
• The framework comes as satellite partnerships and Direct-to-Cell technology gain momentum across Africa, creating new regulatory challenges.

The GSMA has issued new guidance aimed at helping African regulators establish coherent regulatory frameworks for satellite connectivity services as the sector expands rapidly across the continent.

The global mobile industry association released the Satellite Regulatory Playbook on Wednesday, June 24. The document seeks to address regulatory gaps that have emerged with the growth of satellite connectivity services. The GSMA noted that services delivered in partnership with mobile network operators generally already benefit from adequate regulatory safeguards.

The playbook identifies eight core regulatory pillars: local establishment, national security, consumer protection, infrastructure, terminal deployment, taxation, emergency services and law enforcement.

"Connectivity is not a choice between terrestrial and satellite networks. Regulation should remain technology-neutral and focus on delivering consistent outcomes for consumers, regardless of how services are provided," said Michaela Angonius, Head of Policy and Regulation at the GSMA.

The guidance comes as several African telecommunications operators have entered satellite connectivity partnerships to extend network coverage.

Orange has partnered with Eutelsat to deploy satellite connectivity in Côte d'Ivoire, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Meanwhile, MTN signed its own agreement with Eutelsat for Côte d'Ivoire after concluding an earlier partnership in 2024 with its infrastructure subsidiary Bayobab to leverage the OneWeb satellite constellation.

Beyond conventional satellite terminals, Direct-to-Cell technology has emerged as one of the sector's most disruptive developments. The technology enables standard smartphones to connect directly to satellites without requiring external antennas or additional hardware.

In March, MTN Zambia announced that it had successfully completed Africa's first Direct-to-Cell trials in partnership with Starlink under the supervision of Zambia's telecommunications regulator. The pilot project illustrates the type of regulatory gray area that the GSMA's new playbook seeks to clarify as satellite-based mobile connectivity expands across African markets.

This article was initially published in French by Adoni Conrad Quenum

Adapted in English by Ange J. A de Berry Quenum