Why Namibia slammed the door on Starlink

Why Namibia slammed the door on Starlink

Namibia declined licence applications from Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider Starlink for failing to satisfy ownership and compliance criteria, the country’s telecommunications regulator said on Wednesday. A notice in the Southern African country’s Government Gazette on Monday showed Starlink’s applications for a telecommunications service licence and access to radio spectrum had been turned down. The…

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Namibia rejects Starlink

Namibia rejects Starlink

Namibia has turned down applications from Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider Starlink for a telecommunications service licence and access to radio spectrum, a notice in the Southern African country’s government gazette showed. The notice, dated 23 March, did not say why Starlink’s applications were declined. The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia could reconsider the decisions…

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Starlink V2 next-gen satellites aim for terrestrial speeds

Starlink V2 next-gen satellites aim for terrestrial speeds

Starlink is preparing to launch its second generation of satellites, V2, with the ambitious goal of matching the speeds and responsiveness of traditional terrestrial networks. During a keynote at Mobile World Congress, Michael Nicolls, SpaceX’s senior vice president of Starlink engineering, explained that the ultimate objective for Starlink Mobile is to provide a connectivity experience…

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Starlink escalates public campaign for South African operating licence

Starlink escalates public campaign for South African operating licence

SpaceX’s satellite internet service, Starlink, has significantly intensified its lobbying efforts to enter the South African market. The company recently published a dedicated advocacy page on its website, titled Starlink’s Efforts in South Africa, which directly addresses consumers and counters persistent criticisms regarding its licensing bid. This move follows an aggressive January campaign where Starlink…

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Starlink considers building its own phone

Starlink considers building its own phone

Elon Musk. Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters With a SpaceX public listing expected this year, the company has plans for its revenue-generating Starlink business that could expand its reach into new markets, including a Starlink phone, direct-to-device internet and a space-tracking service, sources familiar with the matter said. The star of Elon Musk’s empire, SpaceX is quickly expanding…

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EU accelerates Iris2 launch to counter Starlink dominance

EU accelerates Iris2 launch to counter Starlink dominance

EU commissioner for defence and space Andrius Kubilius. Lehtikuva/Markku Ulander The EU’s multi-orbit array of 290 satellites known as Iris2 should be able to start initial communication services in 2029, marking an acceleration in the bloc’s space industry efforts, the EU defence and space commissioner said on Tuesday. Iris2 is a response to Elon Musk’s…

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Namibia rejects Starlink

Starlink hype vs reality in South Africa

South African media has been saturated with Starlink coverage for months. Every ministerial statement, every regulatory development, every parliamentary objection becomes headline news. Yet amid this relentless coverage, a curious question emerges: why Starlink specifically? The regulatory challenges facing Elon Musk’s satellite service aren’t unique. Major global technology companies have long navigated South Africa’s broad-based…

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