Cameroon Telecommunications (Camtel) is looking to complement its national fiber-optic network with satellite solutions, as part of a broader push to build a more resilient, inclusive, and high-performing internet infrastructure. For the state-owned operator, which manages the country’s fiber backbone, expanding broadband access cannot rely on a single technology.
A strong network depends on combining technologies, the company said. While fiber forms the foundation of high-speed infrastructure, satellite solutions can overcome geographic barriers and extend coverage to underserved areas.
As part of that strategy, Camtel has opened discussions with UK-based satellite provider Avanti Communications. The company’s senior executives met with Camtel CEO Judith Yah Sunday Achidi in Yaoundé on April 8.
According to an Avanti official involved in the visit, the talks focused on accelerating connectivity in remote and underserved regions, improving infrastructure resilience—especially in hard-to-reach areas—and enhancing internet access for government agencies, security services, and schools.
The official said both sides share an ambition not only to define a strategy but also to move quickly toward implementation and deliver tangible results on the ground.
The discussions come at a time when Cameroonian authorities have shown clear caution toward Starlink, the U.S.-based satellite internet provider operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The government initially banned the use of Starlink kits in the country and has yet to formally open the market to its services.
Camtel’s interest in Avanti suggests that the government’s concerns may not be about satellite technology itself, but rather about how the sector is regulated and operated.
For Camtel, the priority is to combine available technologies in a coherent way to ensure broader, more reliable access to digital services across the country.
Ludovic Amara
