Space42, the UAE-based space and satellite group, has launched an advertising-funded public Wi-Fi service in South Africa, offering users 20 minutes of free internet access in exchange for watching a single 30-second video advert. Users can extend their sessions by watching additional adverts, the company said.

The service runs on Space42's YahClick satellite broadband platform, a non-terrestrial network (connectivity delivered by satellite rather than ground-based cables or masts). The model targets businesses and network partners seeking to monetise existing or new public Wi-Fi hotspots, including sites with limited connectivity.

How does the hotspot model work?

Partners install antennas and routers connected to the YahClick network and share the connection with users at their premises. Businesses that already operate compatible Wi-Fi equipment can add advertising and analytics capabilities without replacing their existing infrastructure, Space42 said.

The proposition creates two revenue streams. Hotspot operators earn income from the adverts served to their users, while advertisers gain access to audiences on public Wi-Fi networks.

Both sides receive measurement tools. Partners can access reporting dashboards to monitor hotspot performance, and advertisers can track engagement with their campaigns.

Why is Space42 betting on African advertising?

The launch aligns with a projected surge in digital advertising spend on the continent. Internet advertising revenue in Africa is projected to reach $3.1bn (R55.7bn) by 2030, according to PwC's Africa Entertainment and Media Outlook 2026 to 2030.

Elmuiz Saad, senior vice-president of commercial at Space42, said the solution supports South Africa's digital inclusion priorities and forms part of the company's strategy to expand its presence in non-terrestrial networks. The company said working with local operators and partners would help it identify areas where connectivity is needed and deliver services on the ground.

What is Space42's existing African footprint?

The Wi-Fi launch builds on an established satellite communications business across the continent:

• In South Africa, subsidiary Thuraya announced the commercial rollout of Thuraya-4 satellite services in November 2025, targeting the energy, mining and maritime sectors.
• In Zimbabwe, Space42 has connected more than 1,000 schools and 500 clinics, with a further 2,500 schools planned.
• Subsidiary Mira Aerospace has conducted what Space42 describes as the world's first 5G video call from a fixed-wing high-altitude platform station (an unmanned aircraft operating in the stratosphere as a telecommunications relay) in Rwanda.
• The Map Africa Initiative, developed with Microsoft and Esri, uses satellite imagery and AI analytics to build a base map covering all 54 African countries.

The breadth of these operations signals the strategic logic behind the Wi-Fi launch. Space42 already owns the satellite capacity covering remote African sites; the advertising model gives it a way to sell that capacity through local partners rather than building retail infrastructure itself.

What does the model mean for connectivity economics?

The structure shifts the cost of public internet access from the user to advertisers. A user pays with 30 seconds of attention for 20 minutes of connectivity, an exchange rate the company can tune by adjusting session length or advert frequency.

For hotspot operators, the model answers a persistent commercial question: how to fund free guest Wi-Fi. Space42's reporting tools let partners monitor performance, while its analytics capabilities give advertisers measurable engagement on campaigns delivered to a captive on-premises audience.

The company has not disclosed pricing terms for partners, revenue-share percentages, or launch locations for the first hotspots.