Elon Musk’s Starlink Must Stop Operating in Namibia

Namibia has ordered the Elon Musk-owned satellite communications company, Starlink, to cease operations.?

Starlink has been issued a cease-and-desist order by the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN). The agency said the company has been offering satellite-driven internet services in the country without a license, and must stop operating until it acquires one.?

The CRAN conducted an investigation into Starlink’s operations and concluded the company has been operating without the required authorization. Starlink has requested a license to offer internet services in the country, but its application is currently being reviewed, Bloomberg reported.?

The authority has, therefore, instructed Starlink to suspend operations until further notification. Deeming its operations illegal in the country, the regulator has also notified consumers to avoid purchasing any equipment from the company or subscribe to its services.?

Any equipment held by existing Starlink users in Namibia will be confiscated. The CRAN has also instructed local police to register cases against consumers for holding on to the “illegal” Starlink equipment.?

Starlink offers high-speed internet, powered by a network of more than 7,000 SpaceX-made satellites, according to astronomer Jonathan McDowell, who tracks satellites on his website. While Starlink is officially only available in a few African countries, it has been a popular product in various parts of the continent, especially remote ones, where local providers struggle to offer high-speed internet.?

In restricted regions, Starlink equipment is widely traded via Facebook Marketplace and other private groups on social media. For countries where operations are illegal — over concerns of national security and unauthorized usage, people activate the equipment in neighboring countries and trade them illegally over international borders, a Bloomberg investigation found earlier this year. Consequently, Starlink had to inform consumers that they can only use equipment designated for specific countries and using them elsewhere will result in deactivation of services —?though it allows usage out of the area of purchase for additional fees in unrestricted regions.?

Similar advisories against Starlink have also been issued in other African countries. Last year, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) deemed Starlink’s services illegal and said anyone found selling services will be fined an equivalent of $269,000.?

Earlier in 2023, Senegal arrested five individuals for illegally distributing internet services using Starlink’s equipment and sentenced them to five years in prison alongside $100,000 fines.