Picture this: it’s a hot afternoon in Lagos. A customer walks into an Access Bank branch, completes a transaction in minutes, and walks out. The ATM works flawlessly. The internet connection is fast. Digital banking systems respond instantly. The customer experience is seamless, and the customer shares this experience with others.
In rural villages 300 kilometers away, the story has been dramatically different. Bank branches struggle with unreliable connectivity. ATMs go offline for days. Digital transactions fail. Customers wait hours for simple operations. This is not a technology or banking problem, it is a connectivity problem.
Until now.
Fieldbase, Africa’s leading connectivity provider, has partnered with Starlink to deliver Layer 2 private network services that enable banks, telecommunications companies, and oil and gas operators to provide the same level of service in rural areas as they do in major cities. Through Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technology, the connectivity gap that has limited financial inclusion for decades is finally closing.
The financial inclusion challenge
Financial inclusion remains one of Africa’s most persistent development challenges. According to the World Bank, 57% of adults in Sub-Saharan Africa remain unbanked. While urban areas enjoy robust banking infrastructure, rural communities face severe limitations.
The core barrier is connectivity. Modern banking depends entirely on reliable, high-speed internet. Every transaction, every ATM withdrawal, every account query requires real-time communication with central banking systems. Without stable connectivity, banks cannot operate effectively in rural areas.
Traditional infrastructure has failed to reach these communities. Fiber optic cables are prohibitively expensive to deploy across vast rural distances, costing $20,000 to $50,000 per kilometre. Cellular networks provide inadequate bandwidth and reliability for enterprise banking operations. Satellite internet from geostationary orbit suffers from high latency that disrupts real-time transactions.
The result: millions of Africans in rural areas remain excluded from formal financial services, forced to rely on cash transactions and travel long distances to access basic banking.
What Layer 2 Services mean for banking
Starlink’s Layer 2 services represent a fundamental breakthrough for enterprise connectivity. Unlike standard internet services, Layer 2 provides private network interconnection that creates secure, dedicated connections between multiple sites.
For banks, this means rural branches can connect directly to headquarters and data centers through private, encrypted networks that operate exactly like fiber optic connections. A branch in a remote village can access the same core banking systems, process transactions at the same speed, and deliver the same customer experience as a branch in Lagos or Nairobi.
The technical advantages are substantial. Starlink’s LEO satellites orbit at 550 kilometers, delivering latency as low as 20 milliseconds for real-time transaction processing. Current antennas deliver up to 220 Mbps download and 40 Mbps upload speeds, with next-generation antennas reaching gigabit speeds. Layer 2 services create isolated networks separate from the public internet, with banking data traveling through dedicated encrypted channels that meet stringent security and compliance requirements.
Banks making a big impact
Leading African banks are recognising the transformative potential of satellite-enabled connectivity. Access Bank, one of Africa’s largest financial institutions with operations across multiple countries, exemplifies the opportunity.
Access Bank has built extensive digital banking capabilities including mobile apps, internet banking, and digital payment platforms like AccessAfrica. These services work excellently in cities with robust connectivity. However, extending the same services to rural branches has been constrained by infrastructure limitations.
With Fieldbase’s Starlink-powered Layer 2 services, Access Bank can now deploy full-service branches in previously underserved areas. Rural customers can access the complete range of digital banking services, conduct real-time transactions, use ATMs reliably, and experience the same banking quality as urban customers.
The impact extends beyond individual transactions. Financial inclusion drives economic development. When rural communities gain access to formal banking, they can save securely, access credit for business expansion, receive digital payments, send remittances efficiently, and participate fully in the digital economy.
Beyond Banking: Telecommunications and Energy
The same connectivity solutions transforming rural banking are revolutionising other critical sectors.
Telecommunications: Mobile network operators face constant challenges maintaining connectivity to remote cell towers. Fieldbase’s Layer 2 services provide operators with dedicated, high-speed connections to remote sites, enabling 4G and 5G services in previously underserved areas. Cell towers in mountains, deserts, and remote villages can now deliver the same network performance as urban towers.
Oil and Gas: Energy companies operate in some of the world’s most remote and challenging environments. Offshore platforms, remote wellheads, and pipeline monitoring stations require secure, reliable connectivity for operations, safety systems, and data transmission. Fieldbase has extensive experience providing connectivity to over 300 vessels and offshore platforms. Layer 2 services enable operators to create private networks connecting remote operations to headquarters, ensuring operational efficiency and safety regardless of location.
The advantage Fieldbase has
Fieldbase brings critical expertise to deploying enterprise-grade satellite connectivity across Africa:
• Authorised Starlink Partner: Direct access to equipment and technical support.
• Layer 2 Expertise: Engineering team specialises in private network interconnection for enterprise clients, ensuring secure, compliant, and optimised connectivity.
• Complete Solutions: From equipment procurement and customs clearance to installation, power systems integration, and ongoing support, Fieldbase handles every aspect.
• Local Presence: Over 50 professionals across six African countries provide on-ground support, maintenance, and troubleshooting.
• Proven Track Record: Over 4,500 enterprise clients across banking, telecommunications, oil and gas, maritime, and government sectors trust Fieldbase for mission-critical connectivity.
Overcoming infrastructure limitations
Traditional connectivity infrastructure faces insurmountable challenges in rural Africa. Fiber deployment costs make connecting rural branches economically unviable. Cellular networks lack the bandwidth, reliability, and security required for enterprise banking operations. Terrestrial infrastructure requires ongoing maintenance and is vulnerable to theft and damage.
Starlink’s LEO satellite constellation eliminates these barriers. A Fieldbase installation can be operational within days, requires no ground infrastructure beyond the antenna and power source, and delivers enterprise-grade performance from day one. Unlike terrestrial networks, LEO satellite connectivity provides consistent service regardless of ground conditions.
The path to universal financial inclusion
Achieving universal financial inclusion requires solving the connectivity challenge. Fieldbase’s Layer 2 services powered by Starlink provide the solution that traditional infrastructure could not deliver.
• For banks: expand into underserved markets profitably while delivering consistent customer experiences.
• For telecommunications companies: extend network coverage economically and improve service quality in rural areas.
• For oil and gas operators: connect remote operations securely and improve efficiency.
• For rural communities: gain access to formal financial services and participate in the digital economy.
Taking action
For banks seeking to expand financial inclusion, telecommunications companies aiming to extend coverage, and oil and gas operators needing reliable remote connectivity, Fieldbase offers proven solutions. The team assesses connectivity requirements, designs customised Layer 2 networks, handles deployment, and provides ongoing maintenance and support.
The connectivity barrier that has limited Africa’s development for decades is finally surmountable. With Fieldbase’s expertise and Starlink’s technology, banks can bring city-level services to every village, telecommunications companies can connect every community, and energy companies can operate efficiently anywhere.
A connected future
Imagine an Africa where every village has a fully functional bank branch, every remote area has reliable telecommunications, and every energy operation maintains secure connectivity regardless of location.
This vision is becoming reality. Fieldbase is deploying these solutions today, connecting enterprises and communities across Africa through private, secure, high-performance satellite networks.
For rural Africans, this means access to financial services that enable economic participation and prosperity. For banks, telecommunications operators, and energy companies, this means expanding into new markets profitably while driving social impact.
The future of enterprise connectivity in Africa is here. The future is private, secure, and satellite-enabled. The future is connected.
To learn more about how Fieldbase can provide Layer 2 private network connectivity for your enterprise operations across Africa, visit www.fbase.co.uk or send an email: enterprise-sales@fbase.co.uk
