Telecommunications industry regulator, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA), released an official notice on Tuesday that the usage or provision of Starlink’s services in the country is illegal.
Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite broadband service. Those guilty of an offence will need to pay a fine of R5m ($265,000) or 10% of annual turnover.
“ICASA has a responsibility to protect its licensees and consumers by ensuring that there is fair participation and competition in the market,” the notice reads.
Invite only
Operators like Starlink must have individual electronic communications service (I-ECS) and individual electronic network service (I-ECNS) licences. ICASA only issues invitations to apply – something the body hasn’t done in 13 years.
Starlink is available in several African countries already, including Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, Nigeria, and Malawi. Not South Africa.
Many South Africans have been finding creative ways of accessing the services, for example, by using the company’s roaming feature.
Growing popularity
While not officially launched in the country, Starlink has made huge gains in the telecommunications industry, surpassing ADSL connections with more than 12,000 users.
Through using a global or regional roaming subscription, users can access the internet wherever there is coverage, meaning it can be accessed in any country or area, even when the user is mobile.
The potential to increase access in rural areas, specifically where connectivity is limited, is great, making the service a popular alternative to the country’s telecommunications monopoly. Telkom has seen an 84% drop in its subscriber base since 2022.
Pretty penny
Third-party service providers are selling Starlink kits and managing subscriptions on behalf of customers.
The service is not cheap, though. The going rate for a Starlink kit, including taxes, is R15,000 ($800) with the monthly premium sitting at R1,700 ($90). In Kenya, that figure is around KSh89,000 ($580) and in Mozambique, 40,492 meticais ($635).
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