As Lesotho grapples with an internet penetration rate of just 47 percent, particularly in its remote and mountainous regions, the arrival of Starlink, through its authorised reseller, T-Connect, promises to reshape the country’s digital landscape. With bold ambitions to extend reliable, high-speed internet to even the most underserved communities, T-Connect is positioning itself as more than just a service provider; it sees itself as a catalyst for economic development, digital inclusion, and innovation.
In this exclusive interview with Newsday, T-Connect CEO Phelane Phomane shares the company’s vision for connectivity in Lesotho, its role in supporting national digital transformation goals, and how satellite internet can complement existing infrastructure, empower small businesses, and open global doors for Basotho digital talent. He also addresses concerns around affordability, foreign ownership, and sustainability, highlighting the company’s commitment to building a home-grown, inclusive digital future for Lesotho.
Newsday: How does T-Connect, as the authorised Starlink reseller, plan to address Lesotho’s current internet penetration rate of just 47 percent, especially in remote and mountainous regions?
Phelane Phomane (PP): T-Connect’s connectivity solutions allow us to provide internet services from anywhere in Lesotho. This gives us the flexibility to shape and develop products and services that will make the internet more accessible to anyone from anywhere.
Newsday: What specific benefits will Starlink’s satellite internet bring to Lesotho’s private sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises that have traditionally struggled with connectivity?
PP: SMMEs will be able to access reliable high-speed internet based on what they need and not what is available. Our business connectivity plans have been built with Basotho businesses of all types and sizes in mind.
Newsday: Can you elaborate on the potential economic impact of T-Connect’s services in Lesotho, including job creation and opportunities for digital entrepreneurship?
PP: Our approach in all the markets we operate in is to drive impact in areas that need it the most. In Lesotho, one of the biggest challenges that we see is a massive opportunity in the digital economy, from the infrastructure and skills standpoint. That is why we are investing heavily in building the competitiveness of Basotho in the global digital skills market. Through our collaborations with Digify Africa and Holberton School in Lesotho, we will be upskilling Basotho in digital skills that are in high demand across the world and creating a marketplace where employers and people looking for such skills can easily find such talent. This alone will not be enough to create enough jobs to transform the economy. We also have a very ambitious plan to invest in backbone digital infrastructure and create a technology precinct that will allow Lesotho to provide digital services to not only its domestic market, but the regional and global market as well. In our opinion, to create sustainable jobs that have a lasting and long-term impact on the economy in Lesotho, the domestic market on its own is not sufficient. We must look at Lesotho as a provider of critical skills to the world, allowing us to export skills and services instead of people.
Newsday: Given the opposition from some local stakeholders regarding Starlink’s foreign ownership, how does T-Connect ensure that the Basotho people and economy will benefit from this partnership?
PP: T-Connect is not Starlink. T-Connect is owned by Africans, including Basotho, and is led by Basotho as well. There is no greater assurance that Basotho will benefit. In addition, Lesotho is an integral part of our continental strategy in driving digital transformation across the continent. The jobs created by our data centre initiative will benefit Basotho directly.
Newsday: How is T-Connect working with the Lesotho government to support national digital transformation goals and improve public services such as education, healthcare, and commerce through enhanced connectivity?
PP: Fortunately, the Government of Lesotho has developed and published a Digital Transformation Strategy. This, on its own, gives us a clear direction and indication of where the Government needs support. As a privately held business, we believe our role is to act within policy and strategy. Our initiatives already do so. As much as we are yet to engage formally and conclude a formal relationship, we also don’t need to wait for that to happen. The government has issued a policy directive and a strategy. Ours is to buy into it and implement.
Newsday: What measures are in place to make Starlink’s satellite internet affordable and accessible to a broad segment of Lesotho’s population, considering the country’s modest average income?
PP: Starlink specifically works with resellers such as T-Connect to make the service more accessible to the local market. We price based on a regulatory schedule informed by our mission to digitally transform Lesotho. We certainly cannot achieve that if our solutions are inaccessible.
Newsday: How does T-Connect’s presence and operations in Lesotho compare with its activities in other African countries, and what lessons or best practices are being applied locally?
PP: First and foremost it is never a one size fits all. Every country is different. Every country has different needs, tastes and challenges. For instance, Botswana is very different from Lesotho. It’s a bigger economy and a bigger land mass. However, we are using global best practice across ALL our markets and ALL our solutions. Our approach is to find the best and most efficient, and effective solution to allow Africans to compete in the global marketplace, regardless of where it is from.
Newsday: What role does T-Connect see for satellite internet in complementing existing terrestrial infrastructure provided by local operators like Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Telecom Lesotho?
PP: Firstly, collaborations with telecom operators have the potential to make the internet more accessible, both in terms of cost and reach. Secondly, almost every Mosotho has a mobile phone. Being able to provide reliable satellite connectivity to every Mosotho through this channel would be a massive game-changer for the country. Other telecoms operators are doing the same, and this has yielded positive results for the market and end-users. Surely, it could be done in Lesotho as well.
Newsday: Can you discuss the long-term vision for T-Connect and Starlink in Lesotho beyond the initial rollout, particularly regarding expanding coverage and fostering innovation ecosystems?
PP: At the centre of T-Connect’s ethos is collaboration. In the long term, we would like to facilitate and connect multiple collaborations across multiple industries, through partnerships, joint projects and hopefully joint infrastructure initiatives hosted at our technology precinct. In our opinion, ecosystems are the only way that Lesotho will truly move forward. Different parts moving together towards the same goal
Newsday: How does T-Connect balance the challenges of regulatory compliance, local partnerships, and technological deployment to ensure sustainable growth and digital inclusion in Lesotho and across Africa?
PP: We have taken a long-term view to digital transformation. This requires engagement with all stakeholders at all levels. It is a combination of fast and slow, patience and aggression, focus, intentionality and humility.
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