NuRAN Wireless to Pilot Starlink LEO Backhaul at Rural Site in Nigeria
The initiative represents NuRAN’s first LEO integration within its network and is intended to evaluate the performance, reliability, integration and cost efficiency of satellite backhaul at commercial scale.
NuRAN Wireless Inc. has announced a pilot to evaluate licensed Starlink low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite service as a high-performance backhaul solution at a selected rural site in Nigeria.
The pilot, which will be conducted with long-time partner Infratel, will integrate NuRAN’s rural telecommunications infrastructure with LEO satellite connectivity to assess its potential to improve capacity, speed and site economics in remote areas. NuRAN said it has no direct contractual or commercial relationship with Starlink or SpaceX for the pilot, with the satellite service being obtained through third-party service provider arrangements.
The initiative represents NuRAN’s first LEO integration within its network and is intended to evaluate the performance, reliability, integration and cost efficiency of satellite backhaul at commercial scale. The company said the technology could support the migration of rural sites to 4G and enable higher-capacity connectivity, as well as infrastructure applications including edge AI, local compute and NuEnergy.
NuRAN said it will continue using terrestrial transmission technologies such as microwave and TV white space where local conditions and line-of-sight make them practical. In areas where terrestrial backhaul is constrained, expensive or unavailable, the company believes licensed LEO satellite service could provide an alternative for connecting rural sites.
The company said the pilot could eventually provide a repeatable model for deployment across its contracted site base in African markets where Starlink service is licensed and available through third-party providers. These include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Côte d’Ivoire and Benin, while Cameroon is in the process of licensing the service.
“Backhaul is the key that unlocks NuRAN’s next phase of growth. Integrating Starlink service obtained through third-party service providers with our own rural solution could be a genuine step change for our business. As we advance 4G migration, edge AI, NuEnergy and other infrastructure-led initiatives, our focus is on deploying scalable solutions that enhance the utility, capacity and long-term value of our rural site portfolio. We have always said Starlink service is an opportunity for NuRAN, not a threat — and we are now putting that conviction to work through a service-provider-led pilot. If this pilot performs the way we expect, we have a repeatable model we can take across our African footprint.”
– Francis Létourneau, Director and Chief Executive Officer, NuRAN Wireless
Tunji Alabi, Managing Director of Infratel, said the pilot would provide an opportunity to assess LEO satellite connectivity within live commercial networks.
“Infratel values its long-standing relationship with NuRAN and the opportunity to support the evaluation of advanced connectivity solutions in Nigeria. Licensed Starlink service, made available through third-party service provider arrangements, offers a compelling way to bring LEO satellite backhaul into live commercial networks. We believe this initiative can meaningfully accelerate reliable, higher-capacity connectivity to underserved communities.”
– Tunji Alabi, Managing Director, Infratel
NuRAN said higher-capacity 4G services and applications such as local content caching, edge computing, AI-enabled services and energy management require reliable data transport in remote locations. The company said the pilot will help determine whether LEO satellite backhaul can provide a scalable connectivity layer for these applications and potentially expand the range of services supported by its rural infrastructure.
