On Thursday, the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) announced that it has issued a cease-and-desist order to Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, for operating within the country without the necessary license. While Starlink, which provides satellite-based internet services, is active in multiple African nations, it has encountered various regulatory hurdles in certain regions, as well as opposition from state-run telecommunications monopolies.
Although Starlink has already submitted an application to obtain a telecommunications service license in Namibia, the regulatory body has yet to approve it, as the application is still under review.
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CRAN in a statement said, “Following an investigation, CRAN has established that Starlink is operating a network within Namibia without the required telecommunications license. On 26 November 2024, the Authority issued a cease-and-desist order to Starlink, instructing the company to immediately cease all operations in Namibia.”
The regulator further warned the public against purchasing Starlink terminals or subscribing to its services, emphasizing that such actions are prohibited in Namibia. Authorities have already seized illegal equipment from consumers, and criminal cases have been initiated with the Namibian Police in connection with these violations. Earlier this year, a similar move was made in Cameroon, where Starlink equipment was confiscated at ports due to the lack of a proper license.
SpaceX Launches 23 Starlink Internet Satellites
In another news, Elon Musk-owned SpaceX has launched 23 Starlink internet satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida by onboarding them on the Falcon 9 rocket that took off at on Monday. Of the satellites, 12 are equipped with direct-to-smartphone technology, representing a significant upgrade to the Starlink network. The event was livestreamed on X by SpaceX.
SpaceX posted on X, "Falcon 9 lifts off from pad 40 in Florida, delivering 23 @Starlink satellites to the constellation."