Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX, recently revealed that the company’s satellite internet service, Starlink, has yet to receive approval from South African regulators.
Musk’s comments, made on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), came in response to a local user frustrated by the country’s slow internet service. Musk replied, stating that Starlink is "waiting for regulatory approval."
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Starlink, which aims to provide global satellite-based internet, initially projected its South African launch for 2022. However, the timeline was pushed back to 2023. In September 2022, the status changed to "unknown," and despite Musk's latest comments, the launch date remains unclear.
SpaceX has remained silent on the reasons for the delay and has not provided an official update on the progress of Starlink’s South African launch. According to some media reports, the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has yet to receive an application from Starlink for a license to operate within the country. This regulatory approval is essential for the service to legally function.
The delay has left many South Africans eager for faster and more reliable internet, particularly in rural and underserved areas, where traditional service providers often fail to deliver. Starlink’s satellite-based internet offers the promise of improved connectivity, but it remains out of reach until the necessary regulatory steps are completed.
It's not the first time Musk has courted controversy by claiming that Starlink's attempts at expansion are being thwarted. In April of this year SpaceX accused Telecom Italia (TIM) of obstructing the rollout of its high-speed Starlink satellite internet service in Italy.
In a complaint filed with Italian regulators, SpaceX claims TIM has refused to provide critical wireless spectrum data, preventing the deployment of new gateway equipment.
Starlink's initial request for the data dates back to mid-October, according to a previous filing.
In response, TIM stated in a document that Starlink should not operate on certain frequencies, citing "technical reasons."
Unlike other carriers, TIM has "explicitly informed Starlink of its refusal to coordinate" and has withheld the necessary data, the filing added.
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