Inside Lesotho’s Digital Divide: The Truth About Internet Access and Satellite Connectivity

Lesotho, a small mountainous kingdom landlocked by South Africa, faces a classic digital divide between its urban centers and remote highland communities. Internet access has expanded significantly over the past decade through mobile networks, yet about half of Basotho remain offline datareportal.com. This report provides a comprehensive look at how people in Lesotho get online – from city dwellers with smartphones to rural villagers awaiting connectivity – and examines the technologies, providers, policies, and challenges shaping the country’s digital landscape in 2025. Key topics include the stark urban–rural differences in internet usage, the dominance of mobile broadband (3G, 4G, and emerging 5G) as the primary access mode, the nascent arrival of satellite internet services like Starlink, the state of fixed broadband infrastructure, pricing and affordability issues, and the government’s efforts and future plans to bridge the digital divide.

Urban vs. Rural Internet Access

Internet access in Lesotho is marked by a significant urban–rural gap. In urban areas (about 31% of the population datareportal.com), internet usage is relatively high – an estimated 77% of individuals in cities use the internet. In contrast, in rural areas (where roughly 69% of Basotho live), only about 43% of people use the internet, creating a 34% usage gap between urban and rural populations lca.org.ls. This disparity stems from multiple factors: urban centers like Maseru enjoy better network coverage (including 4G and some fiber connectivity) and a higher concentration of affordable internet cafes, Wi-Fi hotspots, and smartphone ownership. Rural communities, many of which are in rugged mountain terrain, often have spottier coverage and lower ownership of internet-capable devices. According to a recent national ICT survey, 66% of mobile phone owners have a smartphone, but this rate is much higher in towns than in villages – there is a 28.6% smartphone ownership gap in favor of urban residents lca.org.ls. In practice, this means many rural users still rely on basic phones limited to voice/SMS, or they share devices. The Universal Service Fund (USF) has helped extend cellular coverage to hundreds of remote villages over the years researchictafrica.net researchictafrica.net, so most rural areas do have at least a basic mobile signal. However, being covered by a signal is not the same as being online: economic and educational barriers in rural Lesotho result in many choosing not to use the internet even when coverage is present. A 2017 study noted that despite ~90% population coverage by 3G, about 70% of Lesotho’s residents did not use the internet at that time researchictafrica.net, largely due to cost and lack of digital skills. Today the situation has improved – internet penetration nationally stands around 48% of the population datareportal.com – but the urban elite remains far more connected than the rural majority. Bridging this divide will require not just extending networks into Lesotho’s mountains, but also tackling affordability and digital literacy so that rural communities can make meaningful use of connectivity.

Types of Internet Access in Lesotho

Mobile Networks: 3G, 4G, and 5G

Mobile broadband is the backbone of internet access in Lesotho, accounting for the vast majority of connections. There are two mobile operators – Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) – and between them they provide nearly universal cellular coverage. Voice-centric 2G networks cover almost 98% of the population itu.int, while 3G networks cover about 95–100% of the population itu.int lca.org.ls, one of the highest coverage rates in Africa. This extensive 3G footprint (achieved by early roll-out in 2008 and supplemented by USF-funded rural towers researchictafrica.net) means that practically every community has at least a basic mobile data service available. Over the past several years, 4G LTE has been expanded as well: initially launched in 2014, LTE now reaches roughly 85% of the population lca.org.ls (up from ~69% in 2017 itu.int). LTE coverage is focused on urban areas and along major roads – about 66% of Lesotho’s land area has 4G coverage lca.org.ls – but it is steadily growing. For most Basotho who use the internet, mobile is the default mode: a demand-side survey in 2022 found 58.4% of individuals use the internet (mostly via mobile phone) lca.org.ls, and within the internet-using population, over 86% access it through smartphones rather than PCs researchictafrica.net researchictafrica.net. The ubiquity of mobile internet is further reflected in the sheer number of mobile connections – 2.07 million cellular subscriptions were active in early 2025 (in a country of 2.35 million people), equivalent to 88% of the population datareportal.com. Many people maintain multiple SIMs (for example, using different networks for coverage or promotions), but even accounting for that, mobile has far more reach than any other access technology.

Lesotho has also been an early adopter of 5G in Africa, albeit on a limited scale. Vodacom Lesotho made headlines by launching Africa’s first commercial 5G service in August 2018, initially with a few trial sites in Maseru ecofinagency.com. This early launch was symbolic (tied to Vodacom’s regional innovation efforts) and offered very high speeds (~700 Mbps in tests) but only to a handful of fixed-wireless customer premises units samenacouncil.org. Widespread 5G deployment took several more years. More recently, in February 2024, Econet Telecom Lesotho activated its 5G network, becoming the second operator in the country to do so ecofinagency.com. Both operators’ 5G footprints remain extremely limited – essentially in parts of Maseru and perhaps a few other high-demand areas – but these deployments mark an important step forward for Lesotho’s telecom sector ecofinagency.com. The role of 5G so far is modest: it is positioned to serve business users and tech enthusiasts needing high capacity, and to future-proof the network for emerging applications. In the coming years, 5G could enable advanced services (e.g. smart city sensors, telemedicine, IoT in agriculture, and ultra-HD streaming) in Lesotho ecofinagency.com, supporting the government’s digital transformation goals. However, 5G uptake will likely be slow until device prices fall – 5G smartphones are expensive, and this is a major barrier in a price-sensitive market ecofinagency.com. For now, 4G (LTE) carries the bulk of data traffic in urban areas, delivering typical download speeds in the range of 10–30 Mbps. Indeed, recent estimates suggest Lesotho’s median mobile download speed is around 20–21 Mbps worldpopulationreview.com, which, while far below global averages, is on par with or better than many other Sub-Saharan countries. This performance is partly because the mobile networks are not yet overburdened – with only half the population online, operators have managed to maintain reasonable speeds and reliability for those who do use data. In fact, an Internet resilience assessment in 2023 ranked Lesotho 1st in Southern Africa for network performance, indicating that consumers generally experience stable, reliable mobile internet service where coverage exists pulse.internetsociety.org. The challenge moving forward is extending that quality of service to the uncovered and underserved populations.

Fixed Broadband (ADSL, Fiber, Wi-Fi)

Fixed broadband plays a relatively minor role in Lesotho’s internet connectivity, largely due to limited infrastructure and high costs. The traditional telephone network, run by the incumbent Telecom Lesotho (now part of ETL), never achieved mass coverage – copper landlines have actually declined in the mobile era itu.int. Consequently, DSL internet over copper (ADSL) is available only in parts of Maseru and a few larger towns. Econet Telecom Lesotho has been deploying fiber-optic broadband in select areas (branded as Fibre-to-the-Home or to business), offering packages up to 50–100 Mbps in the capital itu.int. However, the reach of fiber is extremely limited – primarily business districts, government offices, and high-end residential neighborhoods. To extend fixed broadband beyond the fiber footprint, ETL also offers fixed-wireless broadband using 4G LTE networks (often as a home Wi-Fi solution). For example, ETL’s “Wi-Fi Plus” service leverages upgraded 4G and early 5G in certain areas to deliver home broadband wirelessly techafricanews.com. Additionally, a handful of independent ISPs provide wireless internet via point-to-point or WiMAX links in Maseru and other population centers. Companies like Leo (Pty) Ltd and Comnet have for years served corporate clients, NGOs, and affluent households with bespoke wireless broadband links leo.co.ls db-ip.com. Despite these offerings, fixed broadband adoption remains extremely low. As of 2023, there were only about 8,870 fixed broadband subscriptions in the entire country data.worldbank.org – roughly 0.4% of the population. Put differently, only ~5.3% of households have any kind of fixed internet connection at home lca.org.ls, and most of those are likely in urban Maseru. The vast majority of Lesotho’s households rely solely on mobile networks for internet or have no access at all.

The limited development of fixed broadband is tied to infrastructure constraints. Lesotho’s national backbone has improved over time: a fiber-optic backbone network now links many of the district capitals and border crossings itu.int. The country benefits from several cross-border fiber links into South Africa, which grant access to undersea cables like EASSy (Eastern Africa Submarine System) that came online in 2010 itu.int. This has drastically increased international bandwidth available in Lesotho and helped reduce wholesale costs. However, the “last-mile” distribution of internet from those backbone points to individual premises is lacking. Laying fiber to scattered homes in mountainous terrain is costly and thus limited to high-density, high-income pockets. Even the copper telephone network never reached most rural areas. Some innovative projects have been attempted (for instance, connecting schools or government offices in rural districts via microwave relays or satellite, then potentially sharing that connectivity with the surrounding community), but these are not yet widespread. In summary, fixed broadband in Lesotho is currently confined to a niche market – mainly urban institutions and a small number of wealthy subscribers – while the general population relies on mobile broadband for internet access. Expanding fixed broadband further would likely require significant investment, perhaps in the form of public–private partnerships, to roll out fiber or fixed-wireless to more towns and to create community Wi-Fi hubs. The Lesotho Communications Authority recognizes this gap and has set ambitious targets (aligned with regional SADC goals) to increase household broadband access (e.g. aiming for 50% of households to have broadband by 2025, up from an actual ~3% as of a couple years ago lca.org.ls). Meeting those goals remains a major challenge under current trends.

Satellite Internet Emergence

Starlink’s entry into Lesotho in 2025 promises to connect remote mountainous areas via low-earth orbit satellites. A local company, T-Connect, serves as the licensed reseller of Starlink, marking the country’s first major foray into satellite broadband.

Until recently, satellite internet in Lesotho was used only sparingly, primarily by government agencies or businesses in remote locations using VSAT (very small aperture terminal) links. Traditional satellite services (from geostationary providers like Intelsat, YahClick, or Avanti) have been available but came with high prices, limited data caps, and high latency, making them a last resort. In 2023–2024, however, a new era of satellite connectivity began with SpaceX’s Starlink. After a year-long regulatory review, the Lesotho Communications Authority in April 2025 granted Starlink a 10-year license to operate in the country connectingafrica.com. By June 2025, Starlink’s satellite broadband service officially launched in Lesotho, making it the 24th African country where Starlink is active dabafinance.com connectingafrica.com. This was a significant development: it positions Lesotho to leverage low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to reach even the most isolated villages in the highlands. Starlink can deliver high-speed internet (50–150 Mbps) with low latency (~20-40 ms) virtually “every inch” of Lesotho’s terrain (as SpaceX has noted) m.facebook.com, provided the user has a clear view of the sky.

The Starlink service in Lesotho is being rolled out in partnership with a local telecom startup called T-Connect Lesotho, which is an authorized reseller connectingafrica.com connectingafrica.com. Customers can purchase the Starlink hardware kit and subscribe through T-Connect, bringing a bit of local involvement into the otherwise foreign-operated service. Pricing, however, is a hurdle. According to the Starlink website and LCA filings, in Lesotho the standard Starlink hardware kit costs LSL 7,400 (approximately USD $410) upfront, and the monthly subscription is LSL 950 (about $53) connectingafrica.com. Recognizing the steep upfront cost, Starlink has also introduced a smaller “Starlink Minikit” for LSL 3,800 (~$214) that presumably has a lower-cost terminal device connectingafrica.com. Even with these options, the price of Starlink is far above what the average Basotho household can afford, given that $53 is more than many people’s monthly income in rural areas. Starlink does offer unlimited data (no caps) and a 30-day trial with no long-term contract connectingafrica.com, which may attract NGOs, businesses, or community cooperatives that are willing to pool funds to get a shared connection.

The potential reach of satellite internet is enormous in a country like Lesotho. It can rapidly connect places that are unlikely to see fiber or even reliable mobile coverage for years. For instance, mountain clinics, schools, or tourism lodges that had no broadband options could get online via Starlink. In effect, Starlink can fill the coverage gaps left by mobile networks – especially beyond the 85% population coverage of LTE – and provide a backup in areas with fragile connectivity. The government sees this aligning with its digital inclusion strategy to ensure underserved regions get access connectingafrica.com. That said, significant challenges remain in translating availability into actual usage. The high cost means satellite internet may initially serve niche needs: emergency connectivity, backhaul for rural mobile base stations, or connectivity for communities that can obtain external funding. There was also some local controversy: a Lesotho consumer rights group protested Starlink’s licensing on grounds that it had no local ownership and could disrupt the market connectingafrica.com connectingafrica.com. The LCA proceeded, updating its licensing framework to accommodate LEO satellites connectingafrica.com, but the incident highlights concerns about balancing global tech solutions with local interests. Beyond Starlink, other satellite options like Konnect Africa (Eutelsat) have been advertising services in Lesotho with varying packages ls.konnect.com, and OneWeb (another LEO constellation) could also be on the horizon through regional partnerships. For now, Starlink’s arrival is the headline – it offers an innovative, if expensive, new way to close the connectivity gap for Lesotho’s hardest-to-reach locales.

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in Lesotho

Lesotho’s ISP landscape is relatively small and highly concentrated. The two mobile network operators (MNOs), Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL), are the dominant service providers for both mobile and many fixed internet services:

• Vodacom Lesotho – A subsidiary of South Africa’s Vodacom/Vodafone Group, Vodacom Lesotho is the country’s largest telecom operator. It launched mobile services in 1996 itu.int and today accounts for roughly 70–80% of mobile subscribers (historically, Vodacom has had about three-quarters of the market) prepaid-data-sim-card.fandom.com researchictafrica.net. Vodacom offers 2G, 3G, and 4G nationwide, and was the first to introduce limited 5G. In addition to mobile phone services, Vodacom provides mobile broadband (including MiFi devices and fixed wireless routers for home use) and some enterprise connectivity solutions. For example, Vodacom has a Fixed Wireless Broadband product that uses 4G to connect offices or homes, advertised at speeds around 15 Mbps vodacom.co.ls. Vodacom’s strength is in its extensive coverage and brand recognition; it has distribution shops across the country and popular services like M-Pesa mobile money.
• Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) – Formerly known as Telecom Lesotho for fixed-lines and operating mobile under the brand Ezi-Cel, ETL is part of the Econet Wireless group founded by Strive Masiyiwa. The company holds a unified license allowing both fixed and mobile operations lca.org.ls. On the fixed side, ETL inherited the national telecom infrastructure – it was partially privatized in 2000 with Econet as a major shareholder itu.int, and by 2008 Econet acquired full control itu.int. ETL is thus the incumbent fixed-line operator, though the fixed-line penetration is very low (around 0.5 per 100 people) itu.int. ETL’s fixed services include traditional telephone lines, ADSL internet up to ~16 Mbps, and a growing fiber network in Maseru (offering packages up to 100–150 Mbps) itu.int. It also leverages its 4G network for fixed-wireless broadband (marketing home LTE packages with unlimited night data, etc.). On the mobile front, Econet launched mobile services in 2002 and has been Vodacom’s sole competitor since. It holds about 20–30% of the mobile market by subscriber share researchictafrica.net. ETL has aggressively expanded data offerings; it rolled out 4G/LTE (with coverage now approaching Vodacom’s) and launched 5G commercially in 2024 ecofinagency.com. Econet’s mobile brand has historically been associated with innovation – e.g., it introduced mobile banking (EcoCash) and now highlights its “5G Evolution” to attract data-savvy customers. Additionally, ETL operates the country’s only landline telephone network and thus plays a key role in national backbone connectivity (it provides wholesale capacity to others and maintains cross-border fiber links).

Beyond the two giants, there are a few independent ISPs and telecom service providers in Lesotho:

• LEC Communications – A subsidiary of the Lesotho Electricity Company, LEC Communications holds a network infrastructure license lca.org.ls. It likely manages fiber infrastructure co-located with power lines and may lease capacity or provide services to other ISPs (similar to how electric utilities in some countries leverage fiber networks). Its direct role in retail internet is limited, but it contributes to the backbone.
• Leo (Pty) Ltd – Leo is one of Lesotho’s oldest private ISPs, in operation since 1997 leo.co.ls. It provides “full-service” ISP solutions including wireless broadband (e.g., point-to-multipoint radio links for businesses, VSAT installations, etc.), IT services, and even printing solutions leo.co.ls leo.co.ls. Leo primarily serves Maseru and surrounding areas. Its scale is small – one indicator shows Leo had around 7,168 allocated IP addresses, versus tens of thousands for the telcos db-ip.com – but it fills a niche for customized connectivity where the big telcos might not be as flexible.
• Comnet Lesotho – Another local ISP (listed with a network service license lca.org.ls), Comnet offers internet connectivity and ICT services. Public info is sparse, but it likely operates a wireless network and caters to corporate or government clients.
• Jenny Internet – A newer entrant, Jenny is actually an ISP brand originating in South Africa. Jenny Lesotho (Pty) Ltd is licensed in Lesotho lca.org.ls, extending Jenny’s wireless internet service model. They focus on fixed-wireless home and business broadband (using radio links), and advertise products like dedicated wireless, shared broadband, and even connections that link into South African data centers (useful for businesses) jenny.co.ls. Jenny’s presence indicates some regional integration of ISP offerings.
• Others and Resellers – The LCA also lists a couple of registered reseller ISPs (companies that buy bandwidth from the facilities-based operators and resell). Examples include Ngoana Oa Lla (Pty) Ltd and Custom IT Consulting lca.org.ls – these are small operations possibly providing community Wi-Fi or neighborhood networks without building their own infrastructure. Moreover, as of 2025, Starlink Lesotho (Pty) Ltd is now on the books as a licensed network service provider lca.org.ls. While Starlink provides the satellite capacity, the local entity handles distribution and compliance.

In summary, the ISP market in Lesotho is characterized by a duopoly at the national level (Vodacom and ETL control most access, whether mobile or fixed), with a handful of smaller players serving niche markets in urban areas. Competition exists, but it’s limited. The Lesotho Communications Authority monitors for dominance; for instance, it has noted that Vodacom is dominant in mobile and Econet is dominant in fixed-line and broadband segments researchictafrica.net rankingdigitalrights.org. This has implications for pricing and innovation – a concentrated market can keep prices high, but on the flip side, the small size of the market may not sustain more operators. Notably, until 2020 the regulator had explicitly kept a duopoly structure for mobile to ensure operators remained profitable enough to invest budde.com.au. There is no third mobile operator or cable company offering internet, so consumer choice is somewhat constrained. The entrance of services like Starlink (from outside the traditional telecom sphere) introduces a new kind of competitor, which might indirectly push the incumbents to improve offerings or reduce data prices in high-end segments ainvest.com. Overall, any discussion of internet access in Lesotho inevitably comes back to what Vodacom and Econet are doing, as they are the ones with national reach.

Pricing and Affordability for Consumers

Affordability is one of the toughest issues in expanding internet access in Lesotho. By global standards, the cost of data and devices is high relative to incomes, which leaves a large portion of the population unable to come online regularly. For mobile internet, which is the most common way Basotho access the web, prices have come down over the years but can still be prohibitive for low-income users. As of 2025, a 1 GB monthly data bundle on Vodacom or Econet costs roughly LSL 99 (99 Maloti, which is about US $5.30) prepaid-data-sim-card.fandom.com. Larger packages are available (e.g. 2 GB for ~M120, 4 GB for M150, up to 10 GB for M400) prepaid-data-sim-card.fandom.com, offering slightly better value per GB, but even these prices mean that an average user must spend a significant share of their income to get a modest amount of data. The Alliance for Affordable Internet (A4AI) uses a benchmark that 1 GB of mobile data should cost no more than 2% of monthly income in order to be considered affordable. Lesotho is far from that benchmark – recent analyses found 1 GB of data costs about $5.10 in Lesotho paradigmhq.org, and with a monthly GNI per capita in the range of $130–$140, this translates to roughly 4% of average income for just one gigabyte. For the many Basotho who earn less than the average, or who are in rural subsistence economies, the relative cost is even higher. In fact, a study noted that current data prices are simply unaffordable for many Basotho, with about 41% of people who don’t use the internet citing inability to afford it as the main reason researchictafrica.net.

Device cost is another barrier. Owning an internet-capable device (smartphone, tablet, or computer) represents a large one-time expense. The average cost of a basic smartphone in Africa is around $100, which in Lesotho’s context can exceed 50% of a month’s income for a typical low-wage worker paradigmhq.org. While the secondhand market and low-end Android handsets (sometimes under $50) have helped more people get smartphones, many rural residents still only have basic phones. The LCA’s 2022 survey showed 83% of individuals owned a mobile phone, but only 66% of those phones were smartphones lca.org.ls – meaning roughly one-third of phone owners (and by extension a large chunk of the population) did not have a device that could do WhatsApp, web browsing, or other data-heavy activities. This is a major contributor to the digital divide: even where 3G/4G coverage is present, not everyone can afford a device to use it.

From a consumer perspective, operators have tried to introduce some flexibility in pricing to cater to different budgets. Both Vodacom and Econet offer very small data bundles (e.g. daily packs of a few MBs for a few Maloti, or hourly data passes) that lower the entry barrier. For example, one could buy 50 MB for M5 or 250 MB for M10 for short-term use prepaid-data-sim-card.fandom.com. These bite-sized bundles are more affordable on a day-to-day basis, though per MB they are pricier than larger plans. Operators also zero-rate certain services occasionally or offer promotions – for instance, social media bundles or nighttime data that doesn’t count against the cap. Despite these measures, the overall cost of connectivity in Lesotho remains high when viewed against incomes. The International Telecommunications Union’s ICT Price Trends has consistently ranked Lesotho’s mobile broadband basket as more expensive than the African average when expressed as a percentage of GNI per capita.

It’s worth noting that voice and SMS services are more widely affordable (thanks to competition and regulation). Lesotho has had some of the lower call/SMS tariffs in the region researchictafrica.net, but as the market shifts to data, the focus is on bringing data prices down. The regulator (LCA) has been examining whether the duopoly needs additional pricing regulation or if the costs are justified by operational challenges researchictafrica.net. Lesotho’s difficult geography can inflate network costs, and with a small subscriber base, operators claim they must price data to recoup investments. However, there is regional pressure to lower costs: SADC targets and the Broadband Commission goals push for affordable internet for all. LCA’s strategic plan included an objective to reduce the entry-level cost of broadband (for example, aiming to get the price of 5 GB of data down to 5% or less of monthly income) lca.org.ls. Progress is slow, but there have been some positive signs. The average cost of mobile data in Africa has been falling, and Lesotho is no exception – from 2015 to 2021, the price of 1 GB here dropped by over 60% in USD terms connectingafrica.com, even if affordability in local income terms didn’t improve as dramatically. Additionally, the expansion of 4G and introduction of 5G should over time reduce the cost per bit delivered (assuming sufficient adoption). If a third operator or more resellers enter the market (or if Starlink forces some competitive response at the high end), that could also put downward pressure on prices.

For fixed broadband, affordability is an even bigger challenge. Monthly fees for home ADSL or fiber packages (where available) are on the order of several hundred Maloti – for example, an entry-level fiber plan might be M600+ per month, which is far beyond what most households can pay. This is reflected in the tiny uptake of fixed broadband. It is basically a corporate service market. One bright spot is the increasing availability of public Wi-Fi and community internet access points. Universities and some high schools in Lesotho have been connected to broadband (with support from the government and donors), and there are projects to broadcast free Wi-Fi in certain public areas. The LCA, through the Universal Service Fund, recently provided free Wi-Fi to at least one institution of higher learning and is exploring Wi-Fi hotspots in public spaces like parks and post offices lca.org.ls. These initiatives aim to at least give people an opportunity to get online (perhaps for limited periods or for specific services) without having to spend scarce money on data.

In summary, while coverage issues are gradually being solved, affordability remains the key barrier keeping about half of Lesotho’s population offline datareportal.com. Lowering costs – whether through market competition, subsidy programs for devices, or targeted free access programs – will be crucial for closing the digital divide. Until data prices drop closer to the recommended 2% of income level, internet use will remain a luxury for many and a carefully metered resource for others (used only sparingly to check Facebook or messages). The government has acknowledged this and is working on strategies (e.g. removing some telecom taxes, encouraging infrastructure sharing to cut costs, etc.), but tangible relief for consumers will likely require both policy intervention and continued technology-driven cost declines.

Infrastructure Development and Limitations

Lesotho’s communications infrastructure is a mix of significant progress and persistent gaps. On one hand, the country has made impressive strides in mobile network coverage and international connectivity; on the other hand, its challenging topography and low population density in many areas make last-mile infrastructure deployment difficult.

National Backbone and International Links: Being landlocked, Lesotho depends on terrestrial fiber routes through South Africa to connect to the global internet. Fortunately, the past decade saw major improvements here. The incumbent (ETL) and partners have installed fiber-optic cables linking Lesotho’s network to undersea cable landing stations in South Africa (Durban, Mtunzini, etc.). Lesotho is a participant in the EASSy submarine cable consortium – it doesn’t have a direct landing, but it owns capacity on EASSy that comes ashore in South Africa itu.int. There are also fibers connecting into South Africa’s other cable systems (like SEACOM or WACS, via Johannesburg). The national fiber backbone within Lesotho has been progressively extended to reach all ten district capitals and many towns itu.int. This backbone typically follows main roads and likely includes routes such as Maseru–Maputsoe–Butha-Buthe in the north and Maseru–Mafeteng–Mohale’s Hoek in the south, with spurs to mountain districts. However, many remote localities (especially in the highlands of Thaba-Tseka, Mokhotlong, Qacha’s Nek) are still far from the fiber grid. A 2023 assessment noted that very few rural inhabitants are within 10 km of a fiber point of presence – the “fiber reach” score for Lesotho was effectively zero for much of the population pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org. This means that even if there is national fiber passing through a district, the connectivity from that node to villages relies on microwave links or satellite.

Mobile Infrastructure: Lesotho has leveraged its backbone to build out one of the best mobile coverage maps in Africa (population-wise). The use of mountain-top towers and repeaters has allowed signals to reach into valleys where people live. By the end of 2022, the country achieved 95.8% population coverage with 3G and 85.1% with 4G (LTE) lca.org.ls, surpassing the SADC’s 2025 target of 80% coverage for broadband networks lca.org.ls. This is a remarkable infrastructure feat considering the terrain. Much of this expansion was funded by the operators but supported by the Universal Service Fund which subsidized rural base stations. By 2016, the USF had helped install base stations covering over 320 villages, benefiting ~100,000 people who previously had no signal researchictafrica.net. The typical model for these rural sites is solar-powered GSM/3G towers connected via microwave backhaul to the core network. While coverage is broad, capacity is often limited in remote areas – a single base station might serve a large area with only modest backhaul, meaning speeds can be slow if many users connect. Furthermore, geographical coverage (land area) is less complete; large swaths of mountainous terrain (uninhabited national park areas, mountain peaks) have no signal, although those don’t affect population stats. The “land coverage” for 3G was about 92.5% of habitable land, and for 4G about 66.6%, as reported in 2023 lca.org.ls. This indicates that valleys and highways are mostly covered, but some deep rural pockets might only have 2G or nothing.

Electricity and Backhaul Constraints: A limitation to infrastructure reliability in Lesotho is the power grid. Rural electrification is limited – many cell towers run on solar panels and batteries, sometimes with diesel generator backup. During extended cloudy periods or fuel shortages, towers can go offline. Additionally, backhaul connectivity for rural towers is often via long-distance microwave links cascading over mountains. These can be affected by weather (rain fade) or require line-of-sight which is sometimes hard to maintain in rugged terrain. Nonetheless, the main backbone fiber has improved backhaul for many sites, and the core network (switching centers, international gateways) are fiber-connected and generally robust.

Internet Exchange and Data Centers: To improve domestic routing, Lesotho established the Lesotho Internet Exchange Point (LIXP) in Maseru in 2011 itu.int. The IXP allows ISPs and networks to exchange local traffic without it having to go via South Africa. However, given the small number of networks (basically Vodacom, ETL, and a few ISPs), the impact is limited. The Internet Society’s Resilience Index noted that Lesotho scores very low on “traffic localization” – many local networks still send data out to foreign exchanges because local peering is minimal pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org. As of 2023, Lesotho had no significant data center presence (score of 0 on data centers per population) pulse.internetsociety.org. This means content (videos, apps, websites) viewed in Lesotho mostly comes from servers in South Africa or beyond, adding latency and reliance on international links. The lack of local hosting is partly due to market size and partly due to cost (power, security) – it’s cheaper for companies to host in Johannesburg and serve Lesotho from there.

Regulatory Infrastructure Efforts: Government and regulators have pursued various initiatives to improve infrastructure. For example, there have been programs to roll out fiber to schools and government offices. The LCA in recent years connected dozens of high schools with broadband and provided devices/training, in an attempt to build a base for future demand and skills lca.org.ls. The idea is that by seeding connectivity in institutions, you eventually justify extending infrastructure to those areas. Also, as noted earlier, universal access projects are focusing not just on network reach but on things like public Wi-Fi hotspots (e.g. providing free Wi-Fi in post offices, which often serve as community hubs in rural towns) lca.org.ls.

Key Limitations: Despite improvements, there are clear limitations in Lesotho’s internet infrastructure:

• Geography: The mountains make it expensive to lay fiber or even maintain microwave links. In winter, some remote sites can be cut off by snow. The terrain also means that even if a signal is available on one hill, the next valley might be shadowed. This complicates achieving 100% coverage.
• Scale: With only ~2.3 million people and a GDP per capita around $1,200, the revenue base for infrastructure is small. Economies of scale in bigger countries (buying bulk bandwidth, equipment) are harder to attain here, so infrastructure per capita is costlier. This means fewer big investments (e.g. widespread fiber to home) are economically viable without external aid.
• Maintenance and Upgrades: Some of the existing infrastructure (like copper lines or older microwave links) is aging. There is a need to replace copper with fiber and increase backhaul capacity as data usage grows. The operators have to carefully allocate limited capital – understandably, they focus on areas with more customers (urban) for upgrades, which can leave rural infrastructure lagging.
• Backup and Resilience: Lesotho’s networks can be vulnerable to single points of failure. A fiber cut on a primary route to South Africa, for instance, can disrupt internet for the whole country if backup routes are not in place. There have been instances in the past of outages when cross-border links went down. Redundancy has improved (multiple border links now), but internal redundancy (rings within the country) may still be limited by terrain.
• Postal Infrastructure as a Proxy: Interestingly, the ICT survey noted only ~4-5% of households use postal services or have a mailbox lca.org.ls. This highlights a broader infrastructure problem: when even postal networks (typically widespread) are thin, it’s indicative of how challenging reaching every village is.

In conclusion, Lesotho’s telecom infrastructure has achieved breadth in mobile coverage and good international connectivity, but it lacks depth in local access and redundancy. Future infrastructure development will likely focus on densifying the network – adding more 4G/5G sites to increase capacity, extending fiber gradually beyond Maseru, and leveraging technologies like LEO satellites and microwave to reach the hardest areas. The government’s goal of ubiquitous, reliable broadband will require continued investment and clever solutions (like community networks or infrastructure sharing) to overcome the physical and financial limitations present.

Coverage and Connectivity Statistics

To put Lesotho’s connectivity landscape in perspective, the following table highlights some key statistics as of 2024–2025, comparing urban vs. rural reach and different access technologies:

Sources: Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) reports and surveys; DataReportal Digital 2025 report datareportal.com datareportal.com; ITU/World Bank data data.worldbank.org; ResearchICTAfrica & A4AI studies researchictafrica.net paradigmhq.org.

This table illustrates the dual reality: on one hand, network coverage numbers are high (nearly the whole population is under a mobile broadband signal), yet usage and subscription numbers lag (only half use the internet, and fixed-line usage is almost negligible). The urban-rural split is evident in usage (77% vs 43%), reflecting how infrastructure availability and affordability align with Lesotho’s settlement patterns. It’s also notable that while almost 88% of people have mobile SIMs, only 48% use the internet – implying that a large portion use phones for voice/SMS or mobile money but not data (likely those with basic phones or who can’t afford data packages regularly). The average speeds suggest that those who are connected, especially via 4G or fiber, can get decent performance. However, these averages hide disparities – urban fiber users may enjoy tens of Mbps, while a rural 3G user might only get 1–2 Mbps on an old device. The affordability line emphasizes why many remain offline: at $5 for 1GB, internet is a costly item in household budgets.

Role of Mobile Networks in Connectivity

Mobile networks are the linchpin of Lesotho’s internet connectivity, effectively acting as the country’s broadband network for the masses. Given the limited fixed infrastructure, 3G/4G mobile has been the technology that enabled internet access outside a small elite. Here’s how each generation of mobile tech has played a role:

• 2G (GSM/EDGE): Introduced in the 1990s, 2G networks (on 900 MHz) laid the foundation by connecting virtually all communities with basic telephony itu.int. While 2G is not true “internet” in the modern sense, it did allow slow data via GPRS/EDGE. In the early 2000s, some Basotho accessed rudimentary services (like email or WAP sites) on 2G. More importantly, 2G enabled SMS-based services and mobile money. Even today, 2G remains as a fallback in rural areas and for basic phone users, ensuring services like M-Pesa (Vodacom’s mobile money with over 1 million users in Lesotho) work on any handset newsdayonline.co.ls. The broad 2G coverage (98% pop) also means every 3G/4G site can also serve 2G users, maintaining inclusivity.
• 3G (UMTS/HSPA): When Vodacom launched 3G in 2008 itu.int, it opened the door to real internet access on phones. Lesotho’s 3G rollout was aggressive – by mid-2010s the operators achieved essentially universal 3G coverage (approaching 100% of population) itu.int. This was a game-changer: 3G allowed reasonably fast browsing, social media, and media streaming (albeit low-res), turning the phone into an internet device. It’s not a stretch to say 3G brought the internet to rural Lesotho; farmers and villagers could suddenly use Facebook or read news if they had a capable phone. Even today, 3G remains crucial. Many rural towers are only 3G/2G, without LTE. And even on 4G towers, if the user has an older device or a cheaper 3G-only data bundle, they’ll be on 3G. The capacity of 3G is lower, but it generally suffices for messaging apps and light web use. In Lesotho, a large portion of the ~1.13 million internet users likely still rely on 3G networks for daily connectivity. The role of 3G will gradually diminish as 4G reaches the remaining areas and as smartphones universally support 4G, but 3G is likely to remain operational through this decade as a safety net and for legacy devices.
• 4G (LTE): LTE, first launched in 2014 by Vodacom itu.int, brought true broadband speeds to mobile users. 4G’s role has been to improve the quality and possibilities of internet use in Lesotho. With LTE, users can stream videos, participate in video calls, and enjoy faster, more reliable app experiences (like smoother Facebook, YouTube, etc.). As of 2022, 85% population coverage with 4G means most urban and peri-urban areas have LTE lca.org.ls. The operators typically deploy LTE on lower bands (800 MHz) which cover wide areas, and weare now adding capacity on mid-bands in cities. For urban users, 4G is the workhorse, handling heavy data consumption and offloading 3G networks. It has also enabled fixed wireless broadband – many small businesses or homes use a 4G router as their primary internet source, replacing absent DSL lines. 4G has improved average speeds (as noted, median ~20 Mbps) and reduced network latency, making online experiences more pleasant. Perhaps most impactfully, LTE has allowed the expansion of mobile financial and e-government services that need data. For instance, e-banking apps and online educational content are far more usable on 4G. The role of 4G will continue to be central in the next several years, as it will remain the coverage layer even when 5G is added in pockets. Both major operators will likely continue upgrading 3G sites to 4G to reach near parity with 3G coverage.
• 5G: While 5G is in its infancy in Lesotho, it symbolizes the forward-looking approach of the telecom sector. Vodacom’s early 5G in 2018 was limited to a few fixed-wireless trials (using 3.5 GHz spectrum) – essentially providing fiber-like service to a couple of corporate clients in Maseru samenacouncil.org. Now, with both Vodacom and Econet having launched 5G (Econet in Feb 2024) ecofinagency.com, the stage is set for broader deployment if justified. In 2023, Lesotho was listed among about 15 African markets with commercial 5G services techlabari.com. The current role of 5G is mainly proof-of-concept and niche high-performance use. It offers much faster speeds (tests showed hundreds of Mbps samenacouncil.org) and low latency, which could support advanced applications (IoT, telemedicine, etc.) ecofinagency.com. However, the impact of 5G today is minimal due to low coverage and very low adoption (few can afford 5G phones). Over the coming years, 5G’s role may expand to provide home broadband in areas without fiber (via 5G fixed wireless access), connect smart devices (if IoT picks up in agriculture or utility management), and ensure that Lesotho’s networks keep pace with global tech developments. Importantly, early 5G deployment allowed local engineers and the regulator to gain experience with the technology, which can smooth larger rollouts later. The government is optimistic that 5G will bolster the digital economy – enabling things like remote education, teleworking, and e-commerce with better quality ecofinagency.com – but those benefits will only materialize when coverage and adoption reach critical mass, which could be years away.

In essence, mobile networks in Lesotho have evolved into the country’s de facto broadband infrastructure. They serve everything from basic communication needs to high-end data services. Mobile operators have also driven initiatives like mobile money (M-Pesa, EcoCash), which have significant economic inclusion effects (over 65% of adults use mobile money services in Lesotho lca.org.ls, a testament to mobile networks’ reach). Moreover, during events like the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the mobile networks that enabled remote schooling via WhatsApp or radio, and dissemination of health info via SMS. The reliance on mobile is so complete that any network downtime has outsized effects. Fortunately, the track record of uptime is decent; as noted, the resilience and performance of Lesotho’s mobile internet is rated highly in the region pulse.internetsociety.org. Looking ahead, mobile networks will continue to be pivotal – 4G will likely bring the next wave of users online as more cheap smartphones penetrate the rural market, and eventually 5G (and perhaps future 6G) will address capacity needs in the cities. The government’s strategy is therefore heavily focused on mobile – including ensuring spectrum availability, pushing operators to meet coverage obligations, and leveraging mobile networks for public services (e.g. SMS alerts, digital payments). If Lesotho manages to close its digital divide, it will be largely thanks to the ubiquity and continued advancement of mobile network technology across the country.

Government Policies and Digital Inclusion Initiatives

The Government of Lesotho and its regulatory authority, the LCA, have long recognized the importance of ICT for development. Over the years, a framework of policies, laws, and initiatives has been put in place to liberalize the telecom sector, encourage investment, and extend communications to underserved areas. Here are some of the key government-led efforts and their impact:

• Sector Reform and Regulation: Lesotho was one of the early adopters of telecom sector reforms in Africa. The Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) was established in 2000 as an independent regulator itu.int. The government privatized 70% of the incumbent Telecom Lesotho in 2000, bringing in Econet and partners itu.int, which introduced competition in fixed services. By 2002, competition in mobile telephony was introduced (Vodacom vs. Econet). These reforms, guided by a series of Communications Act and Policy documents (with a major update in the Communications Act of 2012), set goals for universal access, affordable pricing, and a converged, competitive market itu.int. The LCA’s mandate covers telecommunications, broadcasting, and postal services, and it has the power to issue licenses, regulate tariffs (with a light touch, usually), and manage spectrum itu.int. The regulatory environment in Lesotho has generally been seen as investor-friendly and stable, which helped Vodacom and Econet justify network expansions.
• Universal Service Fund (USF): To promote rural connectivity, Lesotho set up a Universal Access Fund in 2009 (managed by the Universal Access Agency under LCA) itu.int. The USF is financed by levies (e.g. 1% of net operating income of operators plus a portion of LCA surplus) itu.int. This fund has been instrumental in subsidizing the rollout of telecom infrastructure in commercially unattractive areas. As mentioned earlier, the USF co-funded base stations that extended 2G/3G coverage to hundreds of villages researchictafrica.net. It also supported the establishment of the national IXP and the .ls domain registry infrastructure itu.int. Currently, USF projects include things like community networks, school connectivity, and public Wi-Fi. For example, the LCA’s strategic plan (2023–26) outlines using USF to provide broadband to schools and free Wi-Fi in some public institutions lca.org.ls lca.org.ls. Such initiatives directly tackle the access gap by bringing connectivity into communities that would otherwise be left behind.
• National ICT Policy and Vision 2020: The government’s broad development roadmap, Vision 2020, identified technology as a pillar for socio-economic growth, with a goal of 90% of households having access to communication technologies by 2020 itu.int. While that specific target was overly ambitious (actual household access remains low, ~5% with internet at home), it set the tone for prioritizing ICT in national planning. A National Broadband Plan was also formulated around 2018–2023, aligning with SADC’s regional targets. For instance, SADC’s target that 50% of households be connected by 2025 lca.org.ls, and minimum speeds of 25 Mbps urban/10 Mbps rural, have been adopted in principle by Lesotho’s ICT strategic plans atuuat.africa. Achieving these will likely extend beyond 2025, but having them in policy keeps the pressure on stakeholders to continually improve.
• Digital Inclusion and Literacy Programs: Recognizing that physical access alone isn’t enough, authorities have launched digital literacy and inclusion programs. The LCA, often with partner organizations, has run training for teachers on digital skills and helped integrate ICT in school curricula lca.org.ls. They have also held consumer awareness campaigns about the benefits of the internet, online safety, and so on. A noteworthy point from the 2022 ICT survey was that only 35.1% of individuals were found to have basic ICT skills, versus 58.4% using the internet lca.org.ls. This gap means many users are going online without formal training, which can limit their ability to benefit (and expose them to online risks). To address this, expanding digital literacy is a strategic objective in the LCA’s plan, with actions like delivering digital skills programs in schools and creating local content platforms in Sesotho to encourage usage lca.org.ls lca.org.ls.
• Affordability Measures: The government has generally allowed market forces to set prices, but they monitor affordability indicators closely. They have occasionally intervened – for example, by approving or rejecting proposed tariff hikes, and by pushing operators to offer low-income packages. The LCA also publishes Approved Tariffs transparently and encourages competition on price. There was consideration of things like price caps for certain data bundles or ensuring the operators provide “data bundles for all” (like very cheap social bundles for students). Additionally, fiscal measures such as reducing certain telecom taxes or import duties on smartphones have been discussed to make internet access cheaper. Lesotho joined regional initiatives like the SADC Home and Away Roaming project to reduce roaming charges in the region, benefiting Basotho who travel to South Africa and vice versa.
• SIM Card Registration and Security: In recent policy moves, Lesotho introduced mandatory SIM card registration starting in June 2022, with a deadline in early 2024 for all SIMs to be registered with verified user identity lca.org.ls newsdayonline.co.ls. This was a significant shift (Lesotho was one of the last African countries without SIM registration). The aim is to combat fraud, phone-based crime, and improve security. While not directly about internet access, it has implications: a more secure SIM environment can enable services like mobile banking to flourish (since KYC is in place). However, it also raised concerns about privacy and potentially barring those without formal IDs – issues that the regulator had to navigate. By the deadline, reportedly over 70% of Vodacom subscribers had registered skyalphahd.com, and unregistered SIMs were slated for deactivation. This policy is part of broader digital governance improvements, including plans for a digital ID system and cybersecurity frameworks.
• E-Government and Services: The government has been gradually moving services online to both improve public service delivery and stimulate internet usage. For instance, you can now do things like apply for some licenses or access certain government forms online. During COVID-19, online platforms were used for schooling and public awareness. Lesotho is also part of the Smart Africa Alliance, having signed on to the vision of transforming Africa into a single digital market. Through such international cooperation, they seek funding and expertise for projects like rural broadband (e.g. the World Bank’s digital economy initiatives or the ITU’s Connecting the Unconnected programs). One concrete project is the Lesotho Digital Economy Diagnostic 2020 by the World Bank openknowledge.worldbank.org, which provided recommendations on improving digital infrastructure, digital financial services, and entrepreneurship. The outcomes include updating laws (like e-transactions law, data protection law) to encourage innovation.
• International Partnerships: Lesotho leverages relationships with organizations and neighboring countries to boost connectivity. For example, it works with South Africa for cross-border connectivity – an informal example is that South African mobile signals spill over into border areas, and many Basotho near the frontier use SA SIMs at times. There have been talks of eliminating roaming fees between Lesotho and South Africa in the future (to effectively treat it like a local network), which would be a big boon for consumers given the travel between the countries. Regionally, Lesotho has participated in SADC and African Union ICT programs. The African Telecommunications Union (ATU) set broadband targets that Lesotho uses as benchmarks lca.org.ls. Through the AU’s PIDA (infrastructure development) framework, there was consideration of a fiber route through Lesotho in a North-South corridor, though most likely Lesotho’s connectivity will remain tied to South African networks.

Overall, the government policies demonstrate a commitment to “digital inclusion” – ensuring not only infrastructure is there, but also that people can access and benefit from it. Implementation hasn’t been perfect (many targets like Vision 2020’s were not met on schedule), yet the policy direction has been consistently pro-ICT. The challenge for policymakers now is to accelerate these efforts: to more creatively use the USF (perhaps to subsidize handset costs or data for low-income users, as has been suggested researchictafrica.net), to encourage more private investment (maybe attracting a third mobile operator or facilitating infrastructure sharing), and to continue updating regulations to accommodate new technologies (as seen with the swift licensing for Starlink’s LEO satellites connectingafrica.com). The foundation – in terms of laws and plans – is largely in place; the focus is on execution and scaling up successful pilots (like expanding school connectivity or community Wi-Fi nationally). There’s also a need for inter-sectoral collaboration – e.g., using telecom to support health, education, agriculture – which the government is pursuing under its digital economy strategy. One clear government recognition is that bridging the digital divide is key to social and economic development, whether it’s creating jobs, improving education, or delivering services. This understanding is driving initiatives that hopefully, in a few years, will show tangible improvements in Lesotho’s connectivity metrics and the lived experience of its citizens.

International and Regional Partnerships

Lesotho’s quest for better connectivity does not occur in isolation – international and regional partnerships have played a significant role in shaping its internet access landscape:

• Cross-Border Fiber Partnerships: Because Lesotho is landlocked and encircled by South Africa, cooperation with South African telcos is essential for international connectivity. Both Vodacom Lesotho and Econet Lesotho rely on their parent or partner companies in South Africa for transit. For instance, Vodacom Lesotho can route traffic through Vodacom South Africa’s network to undersea cables, and Econet/Telecom Lesotho has arrangements (historically with Telkom SA or Liquid Intelligent Technologies) for fiber backhaul to the ocean gateways. These partnerships ensure that Lesotho has redundant paths out to the global Internet itu.int. Being part of the EASSy submarine cable consortium was possible due to regional collaboration – Lesotho joined other countries to invest in that cable, even though it has no coast, securing international bandwidth at cost itu.int. Moreover, South Africa’s terrestrial fiber operators (like Liquid, FibreCo, etc.) often include spur connections to Lesotho’s border. A notable example is that Liquid Telecom (originally part of Econet group) integrated Lesotho into its Southern Africa fiber grid, linking Maseru to Johannesburg and beyond. This gives Lesotho access to multiple subsea systems on both the East and West coasts of Africa via Johannesburg’s internet hub.
• SADC and Regulatory Cooperation: Lesotho is a member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC), which has a regional ICT development plan. Through SADC, Lesotho participates in initiatives like the SADC Roaming Project (which aims to reduce and harmonize roaming tariffs among member states). This led to the implementation of a “Roam Like at Home” regulation in some SADC countries. While Lesotho and South Africa have yet to fully eliminate roaming fees, the trend is toward more affordable roaming, benefiting cross-border travelers and migrant workers. SADC also sets Broadband Targets (as noted, 80% coverage, 50% households by 2025, etc.) lca.org.ls. Lesotho uses these to benchmark its progress and often collaborates on knowledge sharing – e.g., learning from Mauritius or South Africa on how to increase fiber to homes, or from Botswana on connecting schools.
• Smart Africa and AU Programs: Lesotho joined the Smart Africa Alliance, which commits countries to implement flagship projects like extending broadband to rural areas and leveraging ICT for job creation. Being part of Smart Africa allows Lesotho to tap into larger projects such as the One Africa Network (which is an initiative to remove roaming charges continent-wide) and the Giga Initiative (to connect every school to the internet, led by ITU and UNICEF). These international programs bring technical assistance and sometimes funding. Lesotho, for example, worked with the World Bank on a “Digital Economy Diagnostic” in 2020 openknowledge.worldbank.org, which assessed the country’s state of connectivity, digital skills, digital financial services, etc., in comparison with global best practices. Recommendations from that involve partnering with international investors to improve telecom infrastructure and updating legal frameworks to attract tech business.
• Capacity Building and Funding Partners: Organizations like the ITU, World Bank, African Development Bank, USAID, and others have all been involved at times in Lesotho’s ICT sector. The ITU provided support for setting up the LIXP and training regulatory staff. The World Bank, through its projects, has included ICT components – for instance, the Transport Infrastructure and Connectivity project had a component to pilot fiber deployment along newly built roads in rural areas documents.worldbank.org, effectively killing two birds with one stone (improve roads and lay ducts for fiber simultaneously). The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) compact with Lesotho in late 2000s also funded some communications improvements in health facilities (like connecting hospital networks). Additionally, China’s role cannot be ignored: like many African countries, Lesotho has sourced a lot of telecom equipment from Chinese vendors (Huawei, ZTE). There have been reports of Chinese-funded expansions of digital terrestrial TV and perhaps some telecom investments as part of bilateral aid. While not always publicized, these relationships help Lesotho obtain modern technology at concessional rates.
• Knowledge Exchanges: Lesotho often partners with or learns from more advanced neighbors. For example, when launching mobile money, Vodacom Lesotho leveraged expertise from M-Pesa in Kenya/Tanzania. For 5G rollout, Econet likely drew on the experience of Econet Zimbabwe and Mascom (Botswana) – both within or affiliated with the broader Econet/Liquid group – which were also trialing 5G. Such intra-company regional knowledge flow accelerates technology adoption in Lesotho.
• Content and Over-the-Top (OTT) Partnerships: While not a government partnership, it’s relevant that global internet companies treat Lesotho as part of a broader region. For instance, Facebook (Meta) offers Free Basics in some African countries – one wonders if a similar free limited internet offering could come to Lesotho to boost digital inclusion (as of now, no major free basics program is noted, but if it did, it would be via partnership with telcos). Likewise, Google and others sometimes have caching servers (Google Global Cache, Akamai nodes) in ISP networks in large markets; in Lesotho’s case, due to its size, it might rely on regional content caches in South Africa. There have been regional efforts like UbuntuNet Alliance for research and education networks – Lesotho’s universities connect to South African and global research networks through such partnerships, ensuring students and researchers have access to academic internet resources.

In summary, Lesotho’s small size and landlocked position make regional integration a necessity for its internet connectivity. By aligning with neighbors on policies (like roaming and cross-border frequency coordination) and by plugging into international projects (for infrastructure and funding), Lesotho amplifies its capabilities. These partnerships have largely been positive: they enabled the country to get international bandwidth cheaply, to adopt new technologies early (with help from global firms), and to avoid isolation in the fast-moving ICT arena. Moving forward, continued collaboration – especially in areas like cybersecurity (joint efforts to combat cyber threats), e-government interoperability with neighbors (important for trade and movement), and joint procurement of satellite capacity or cloud services – will benefit Lesotho. A tangible example is the recent Starlink license: it was partly made possible because regulators in southern Africa (e.g., Botswana, Mozambique, etc.) were also licensing Starlink, creating a momentum and shared learning on how to integrate LEO satellite services connectingafrica.com. As the African continent works towards digital integration (the African Continental Free Trade Area has a digital trade component, for instance), Lesotho will be an eager participant, ensuring it’s not left behind despite its size.

Challenges in Expanding Internet Access

Lesotho faces a unique confluence of challenges in trying to achieve universal, affordable, and reliable internet access. Some of the main hurdles include:

• Difficult Geography: Lesotho’s nickname “Kingdom in the Sky” is apt – most of the country lies on a high plateau with rugged mountains. About 80% of Lesotho is 1,800 meters above sea level or higher. This terrain makes infrastructure projects complex. Running fiber optic cables over mountains or through valleys is costly and requires dealing with rocky ground and extreme weather. Even building and maintaining cell towers is hard – equipment has to be transported up winding mountain roads (or by helicopter in some cases), and sites can be damaged by lightning, snow, and high winds. Villages are often scattered and separated by deep gorges, meaning one cell tower might only serve a small population in one valley and not reach the next. This drives up the cost per connected person significantly compared to flat terrain. Geography also means that extending the electricity grid for powering telecom equipment is challenging; many remote telecom sites and even some user communities lack mains power, which limits what can be done (charging phones becomes an issue, reliance on solar kits, etc.). All of this results in slower rollout in hard-to-reach areas and higher operating costs.
• Low Income Levels and Poverty: Lesotho is classified as a lower-middle-income country, but it has high poverty and inequality. A significant portion of the population lives in rural subsistence economy. For these citizens, even a cheap smartphone or a monthly data bundle competes with basic needs. The fact that 41% of non-users cite cost as the primary reason for not using the internet researchictafrica.net underscores how poverty limits demand. This is a vicious cycle: low disposable incomes mean companies have less revenue potential to justify network expansion in poor areas, which in turn leaves those areas unserved or with poor service. Lesotho’s relatively small economy also means the government has limited fiscal space to subsidize internet access (though they try via USF). Affordability remains the number one challenge to digital inclusion – even if networks cover an area, people might not use them because they can’t afford devices or data, or they prioritize other needs.
• Limited Market Size and Competition: With only two major operators, there’s an inherent risk of duopoly behavior. While Vodacom and Econet do compete, the lack of additional competitors can lead to less incentive to drastically cut prices or innovate on packages for low-income segments. A new entrant could shake things up, but as noted, the market might be too small to attract a third mobile operator unless perhaps an MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) model is introduced. The LCA has to carefully regulate to prevent anti-competitive practices. In 2020, for example, LCA fined Vodacom and even temporarily threatened to revoke its license over governance issues, showing they are willing to enforce rules on dominant players newsdayonline.co.ls. Still, the dominance of two companies means if they both set similar prices or have coverage gaps, consumers have little recourse. The small market size also means tech companies (like device manufacturers, or content providers) often don’t localize products for Lesotho – e.g., less content in Sesotho online, fewer local e-commerce options – which can slow adoption as well.
• Digital Literacy and Education: Bringing people online isn’t just about network and price; it’s also about skills and awareness. Lesotho has a relatively young population (median age ~21.8 years datareportal.com), which helps because younger people tend to be more quick to adopt digital tech. However, educational attainment in rural areas is lower, and computer education in schools is not universal. As the LCA survey showed, only about one-third of individuals have basic ICT skills lca.org.ls. Many new internet users lack knowledge on how to use browsers, set up emails, protect themselves from scams, etc. This can make the internet less useful for them, or even harmful (through misinformation or cybercrime). There’s also a language barrier: a lot of online content is in English. While English is an official language and taught in schools, many rural Basotho are more comfortable in Sesotho. The paucity of Sesotho digital content or interfaces can be a deterrent for some users. The government’s push to create local content and include Sesotho in digital platforms is an attempt to address this lca.org.ls. Overcoming the skill gap requires integrating ICT training in the education system and offering community training for adults, which is a slow process.
• Infrastructure Maintenance and Reliability: Building infrastructure is one thing; maintaining it is another challenge. Lesotho’s harsh weather (including heavy summer rains and winter snow) can damage lines and towers. Copper cable theft used to be an issue (as in many countries) – thieves steal copper phone cables, disrupting service. Fiber is less attractive to steal, but its equipment (repeaters, etc.) can still be targets of vandalism. Furthermore, backup systems like generators need fuel and maintenance; during times of political or economic turbulence, fuel supply might be an issue. Rolling blackouts in South Africa occasionally spill into Lesotho (as they share power grids), which can affect network nodes if backup fails. All these reliability issues can erode user trust – if someone in a mountain area experiences frequent outages, they might be less inclined to depend on the internet for crucial tasks. So far, networks have been fairly stable, but as they expand into more remote terrain, keeping them up 24/7 will be challenging. The Internet Resilience Index gave Lesotho a moderate overall score (36/100) and particularly low on infrastructure redundancy pulse.internetsociety.org, meaning there is vulnerability to disruptions.
• Regulatory and Administrative Barriers: While the regulatory environment is generally enabling, there can be bureaucratic hurdles. For example, getting permits to build towers on communal land, dealing with environmental impact assessments in protected mountain areas, or coordinating spectrum with South African broadcasters at the border – these can slow down projects. There’s also the challenge of keeping regulations up to date with technology. LCA managed to adapt for Starlink quickly in 2025, but going forward they will have to regulate things like spectrum for 5G, possibly accommodate TV White Space or community networks in policy, etc. Balancing the needs of consumers, operators, and government (which earns revenue from spectrum fees and taxes) is not trivial. On the positive side, Lesotho scored well in “Market Readiness – competition framework” relative to some peers pulse.internetsociety.org pulse.internetsociety.org, but it scored poorly in some metrics like local content (domain count, peering) pulse.internetsociety.org, which can be partially attributed to policy choices (for instance, no strong initiative to promote .ls domain usage or local hosting incentives).
• Geopolitical and External Factors: Lesotho’s economy and connectivity are influenced by South Africa. Any changes in South Africa’s telecom sector (like Vodacom SA’s policies, or SA’s data prices, or a hypothetical decision to cut off access during disputes) could impact Lesotho. There’s also reliance on foreign currency and imports – network equipment, smartphones, even satellite subscriptions all require hard currency. Fluctuations in exchange rates (the Lesotho Loti is pegged to the South African Rand) can affect costs of devices and services. Additionally, brain drain is a challenge – some of Lesotho’s tech talent migrates to South Africa or elsewhere for better opportunities, which can leave gaps in local expertise to drive ICT initiatives.

Despite these challenges, Lesotho has shown resilience and creativity in tackling many of them. The very fact that 3G/4G coverage is as high as it is, is a testament to overcoming geographic challenges with government support. The near gender-parity in internet use (unlike many countries where far fewer women are online, Lesotho’s internet gender gap is minimal lca.org.ls) is a positive sign that at least one potential disparity is being averted. Still, the road ahead requires confronting the core issues of cost and skills. Without significant improvement in affordability, it will be hard to bring the remaining half of the population online. And without investment in education and local content, those who do come online might not be able to utilize it to improve their livelihoods. The government and stakeholders will need to continue collaborative efforts – perhaps exploring innovative solutions like community mesh networks, subsidies for the poorest, content in local languages, and even leveraging universal service funds to provide free baseline internet (like free daily 50 MB for everyone, as some countries have trialed). Overcoming the challenges is difficult, but it’s essential for Lesotho to fully harness the benefits of the digital age.

Future Prospects and Innovations

Looking ahead, there are several reasons to be optimistic about the trajectory of internet access in Lesotho, provided certain initiatives and innovations take hold. The next few years could bring transformative changes that help close the digital divide:

• 5G Expansion and Advanced Wireless: As device costs gradually fall, 5G is likely to expand beyond Maseru to other towns. Vodacom and Econet will probably roll out 5G in a targeted way – for example, covering industrial parks, university campuses, or tourism hubs where high capacity is needed. One interesting possibility is using 5G for Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) to deliver home broadband. Instead of laying fiber to each home, 5G base stations could beam high-speed internet to small villages or scattered houses using external antennas. This could vastly improve rural broadband speeds (into tens of Mbps) without the cost of fiber. However, it depends on economic viability and electricity availability. Another wireless innovation is the use of TV White Space (TVWS) technology – using unused television broadcast frequencies to deliver rural broadband. Trials of TVWS have occurred in other African countries for connecting schools and could be replicated in Lesotho’s mountain valleys, providing a kind of “Super Wi-Fi” that goes several kilometers. The regulatory environment would need to allow it, but it’s a promising cheap tech for sparsely populated areas.
• Satellite Internet Growth: With Starlink now present, we can expect that satellite internet will find its market in Lesotho. In the near future, Starlink could partner with the government or NGOs to connect all schools, clinics, and public offices in remote areas. Instead of waiting years for terrestrial connections, a relatively quick fix is to put Starlink terminals at these critical sites (possibly subsidized). That would ensure that even the hardest-to-reach communities have at least a public access point for internet (at a school or clinic, for example). The cost per site (~$53/month) might be quite manageable if done at scale or via donor support. Additionally, community Wi-Fi via satellite is an innovation being tried elsewhere – essentially one Starlink feed into a village, redistributed via Wi-Fi mesh or local network, and villagers pay a small fee to use it. This could lower the per-user cost and allow an entire village to benefit. Starlink’s presence might also spur other satellite providers: for instance, OneWeb (a LEO competitor) might enter or partner in Southern Africa, offering services potentially through existing ISPs like Vodacom Business. By 2025–2026, Lesotho could realistically have hundreds of satellite broadband users, which could complement the terrestrial networks nicely.
• Fiber and Backhaul Investments: Though fiber-to-the-home for the masses is far off, we anticipate more fiber deployment in backbone and metro networks. ETL and maybe LEC Communications will likely extend fiber rings around Maseru and possibly to other district capitals like Leribe or Mafeteng. As data demand increases, fiber backhaul to every mobile tower will become necessary (replacing microwave links). There is talk in the region of cross-border collaboration on fiber – for example, creating a loop that goes South Africa–Lesotho–Eswatini to improve resilience. Lesotho might seek to participate in any new submarine cable consortia indirectly, to always have abundant international capacity (the cost of international bandwidth per Mbps continues to drop, which will help ISP economics). The government could consider dig-once policies – whenever a new road is built or water pipeline laid, include fiber ducts. The World Bank connectivity project hints at that approach documents.worldbank.org. Over time, this means more fiber will be in the ground and accessible for last-mile later.
• Universal Access Innovations: The Universal Service Fund can be a vehicle for innovation. One idea floating around is to use the USF to bulk-purchase data or devices for underserved groups. For instance, the USF could pay the operators to provide a free basic data package (say 500 MB/month) to every student or every citizen under a certain income, as a form of digital welfare. Or it could sponsor a smartphone distribution program (like giving a subsidized smartphone to every household that currently only has a basic phone). These are the kinds of bold moves that could rapidly increase internet uptake. They require good administration to avoid misuse, but the impact could be high. Another approach is supporting local entrepreneurship in connectivity – e.g., funding small ISPs or community networks to serve areas that the big telcos aren’t serving. If a community can set up its own ISP (maybe using a mix of satellite and point-to-point links), USF could assist with initial capital. This bottom-up model has seen success in countries like South Africa and Kenya (community networks connecting rural villages). Lesotho could pilot it in a few places.
• Improved Affordability and Market Dynamics: The medium-term prospects for affordability are cautiously optimistic. As technology advances, the cost per megabyte for operators falls. 4G and 5G are more spectrum-efficient than 3G, meaning delivering data gets cheaper. If LCA ensures those savings translate to consumer prices, we should see data bundle prices per GB continue to drop. Also, by 2025 a lot of cheap smartphones (sub-$50 range) will have specs that make internet use smoother (4G capable, decent memory). As second-hand smartphones from South Africa flood in, more people will upgrade their devices. By 2030, it’s plausible that almost every phone in Lesotho will be a smartphone (just as we saw with basic phone adoption in the 2000s). On the competition front, regional integration might allow more players: for instance, MTN (another African telecom giant not currently in Lesotho) could potentially enter via acquisition or an MVNO arrangement. Or, if not, stronger reseller ISPs might emerge now that infrastructure can be rented (the LCA could mandate open-access wholesale on fiber and towers). These could bring new service packages, like home broadband bundles or tailored solutions for farmers, etc. At the very least, increased regional competition – e.g. Starlink vs terrestrial, or maybe South African SIMs with low roaming cost – will force local operators to adapt with better offers.
• E-Government and Content Development: A big driver of future internet usage will be locally relevant content and services. The Lesotho government is digitizing more services: one prospect is the creation of a Lesotho Government Portal where citizens can access e-services (tax, registrations, results for exams, etc.). As more such services come online, people will have tangible reasons to use the internet (beyond social media). The education sector might increasingly use online resources, which will encourage families to get connected. There’s also talk of promoting Sesotho content creation – for instance, encouraging local media to produce YouTube videos, blogs, and apps in Sesotho. If the local tech/startup scene grows (perhaps with incubators and support from innovation hubs), we could see homegrown solutions that cater specifically to Basotho needs (for example, an app for herd boys to get weather alerts and market prices, or e-commerce platforms for local handicrafts). These innovations make the internet more valuable to ordinary people, creating a virtuous cycle of demand.
• Regional Digital Market: On a larger horizon, Lesotho may benefit from the push towards an African Single Digital Market. This concept would harmonize regulations and allow digital services to flow across borders easily. For a small country like Lesotho, it means being able to piggyback on larger economies – e.g., a Lesotho citizen might use a South African telemedicine platform to consult doctors, or do online courses from an e-learning provider based in Nigeria, etc., with less friction. It also could mean better roaming and cross-border mobile money interoperability. Lesotho is already in a common monetary area with South Africa; an analogous integration in digital could reduce costs and increase options for users.

In sum, the future of internet access in Lesotho is poised to be shaped by a combination of technological leapfrogging (like satellites and 5G), targeted policy interventions (subsidies, USF projects), and regional integration (both in infrastructure and services). If things go well, five years from now we might see internet penetration climb substantially (perhaps into the 60–70% range of population), with most of the increase coming from rural users coming online via affordable smartphones using expanded 4G/5G or community satellite links. The quality of access will also improve – average speeds might double as 4G becomes ubiquitous and more fiber is deployed. Importantly, the digital divide gap could narrow: the hope is that by bringing connectivity to every school and empowering youth with digital skills, the urban-rural disparities will lessen, and more Basotho will be able to participate in the digital economy. Challenges will still exist, but the innovations on the horizon provide tools to address them in ways not possible a decade ago.

Lesotho has shown a willingness to embrace new solutions (being first with 5G in Africa, quickly authorizing Starlink, etc.), which bodes well for its ability to adopt future innovations. The collaboration of government, private sector, and international partners will remain key. As one of Africa’s smaller countries, Lesotho can also be agile – it can implement pilot projects countrywide faster than a big nation might. This agility, combined with lessons learned from others, means Lesotho could punch above its weight in achieving digital inclusion. The coming years will reveal whether these prospects materialize into reality, but the trajectory is certainly toward a more connected Lesotho – from the bustling streets of Maseru to the most remote mountain hamlet.

Conclusion

Lesotho’s journey toward widespread internet access is one of both significant achievements and ongoing trials. On the one hand, policies and investments have delivered near-universal mobile network coverage, innovative use of technology (from early 5G adoption to embracing satellite broadband), and steady growth in user numbers – placing almost half the population online by 2025. On the other hand, the country’s digital divide remains pronounced: urban residents enjoy far greater connectivity options and usage rates than rural villagers, and affordability constraints still keep many Basotho offline or only intermittently connected. The truth about internet access in Lesotho is that while infrastructure availability (especially via mobile) has largely met the challenge of the rugged terrain, socio-economic barriers like poverty, device access, and digital literacy are the new frontiers that must be overcome.

Encouragingly, the story doesn’t end here. Lesotho’s government, together with regional and international partners, is actively working to bridge this divide through targeted initiatives – connecting schools, subsidizing community Wi-Fi, reforming regulations to lower costs, and nurturing digital skills. The arrival of satellite connectivity via Starlink adds a compelling new tool to reach the unreachable, ensuring that even highland communities need not be left out of the global internet revolution. As the country looks to the future, a holistic approach that combines modern technology, smart policy, and inclusive practices will be essential. If successful, Lesotho can transform its digital landscape, enabling every citizen – whether in Maseru’s city center or a remote mountain village – to access information, services, and opportunities online. The challenges are real, but the commitment to surmount them is evident in Lesotho’s ongoing digital progress. In a world increasingly defined by connectivity, Lesotho is determined to ensure that its people are not left looking in from the outside, but are full participants in the digital age.

Sources: Multiple authoritative sources were referenced in compiling this report, including Lesotho Communications Authority surveys and strategic plans lca.org.ls lca.org.ls, DataReportal’s 2025 Digital Lesotho analysis datareportal.com datareportal.com, Research ICT Africa policy briefs researchictafrica.net, ITU country ICT profile itu.int itu.int, news from Ecofin Agency on 5G developments ecofinagency.com ecofinagency.com, and recent reports on Starlink’s launch in Lesotho connectingafrica.com connectingafrica.com, among others. These sources provide a factual basis for the status and statistics cited throughout this report. Each piece of data or claim is corroborated by the latest available information to ensure an accurate and up-to-date representation of Lesotho’s connectivity landscape.