Paratus Opens Lesotho Operation To Bring Starlink To Businesses

Paratus Group has established a local operation in Lesotho to provide Starlink satellite internet and network services to businesses and organisations, adding an enterprise-focused reseller to a market where Starlink is already available.

Paratus Lesotho is a joint venture between Paratus Group and Real Image Lesotho. The company is an authorised Starlink reseller, offering enterprise connectivity through low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, alongside Paratus network solutions and local customer and technical support, according to an announcement published on November 5.

The operation will be led by Makali Lepholisa as Managing Director. Her career spans more than 20 years in customs modernisation, trade facilitation, business strategy and stakeholder engagement, according to the announcement.

Lepholisa holds a master’s degree in customs administration from Charles Sturt University in Australia and an MBA from Business School Netherlands. Her experience includes National Single Window programmes in several African countries and regional initiatives involving the Southern African Development Community (SADC), the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“I am very excited about the opportunities for Paratus Lesotho to support the country’s social and economic development,” Lepholisa said.

Targeting connectivity gaps

Paratus is positioning its Lesotho operation around the country’s mountainous terrain, which can make conventional telecommunications infrastructure expensive and difficult to deploy beyond major urban centres.

The service will target businesses and organisations in locations where fibre and other terrestrial connectivity options are limited or unavailable.

However, Starlink is not entering an entirely new market. The Lesotho Communications Authority granted the satellite operator a 10-year operating licence on April 14, 2025, despite objections from civil society group Section Two, which raised concerns about Starlink Lesotho’s foreign ownership.

Starlink launched in the country in June 2025. By June 2026, it was providing connectivity to 25 police stations, traffic systems and disaster management teams, according to Space in Africa.

The publication also reported a residential subscription price of ZAR 950 per month. At the end of 2025, Lesotho had 1.14 million internet users, representing 48 per cent of its population.

Paratus Lesotho’s focus on enterprise customers therefore adds a local sales and support channel to an existing satellite internet market, rather than introducing the technology to the country for the first time.

What remains undisclosed

The announcement does not disclose enterprise subscription prices, service tiers, coverage areas or expected customer numbers. It also provides no details about the ownership split between Paratus Group and Real Image Lesotho.

The company has not explained what additional network services it will provide beyond Starlink resale and local technical support, or how these services will integrate with Paratus’s existing infrastructure.

The announcement also does not specify when the operation began serving customers beyond its publication date of November 5.

Paratus says it operates in 16 countries across sub-equatorial Africa and has maintained an African presence for more than 23 years.