Starlink users in Zimbabwe received an e-mail from the internet provider on Friday April 12 informing them that its services were no longer available in the country in line with a directive from the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ).
- The regulator stated last year that using Starlink in Zimbabwe was illegal because the service provider had not complied with legal requirements that would finalize approval.
- The directive was ignored by many Zimbabweans who continued to buy Starlink kits from black market importers who acquire the products from neighbouring countries like Zambia and Mozambique, who have legalized the service.
- According to the country’s media outlets, Starlink kits cost about US$600 to US$1,500 with internet utilizing roaming services priced at about US$38 every month.
“Starlink does not guarantee when or where its mobile or mobile priority services plans will be available. Use of such services is dependent on many factors, including obtaining or maintaining the necessary regulatory approvals which are subject to change,” Starlink said in a statement.
The delay in acquiring a license has been attributed to a clause that allows the government to disable the service at will. Starlink has attracted an influx of users in the country, with unofficial sources estimating that almost 5,000 people use it countrywide. It is preferable because its internet services work efficiently even in the remotest regions of the Southern African nation.
Starlink users in the country are reportedly hiding the kits using ingenious methods that elude authorities. In February this year, a Chinese mining company was penalized US$700 after police discovered that they were using Starlink. The authorities also confiscated the kits and reiterated their warning that the ban was still in effect.
Starlink’s Selling Point
Starlink users in the country have decried the ban citing that the country lacks other reliable sources of internet. The ongoing crackdown has heightened uncertainty for those who had already bought the kits, with some looking for ways to by-pass the disconnection.
“It is so sad that this has happened as we live in a rural area with no access to a decent, affordable internet. With this internet (Starlink), we can pay bills on time, keep on top of banking so everything was easy,” an affected user told local media.
The satellite-internet company owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX has established a foothold in various African countries such as Nigeria, Rwanda, and Kenya despite being expensive. Other African countries are hesitant to approve the service because it is not easy to disable satellite internet.
In December last year, the sale and use of Starlink was declared illegal in Ghana as the company had not obtained a license from the National Communication Authority.
