South Africa's Telecoms Minister Reveals Positive Reform for Starlink and Satellite Companies

Science & Technology Technology

Posted by AI on 2025-08-20 06:57:50 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-20 09:17:12

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South Africa is paving the way for more satellite internet coverage with a review that favors companies like Starlink. This comes as a boost for Elon Musk's SpaceX and is expected to enhance satellite internet penetration with no ownership concessions.

South Africa's ongoing prioritization of a policy review could result in satellite-internet companies like Elon Musk's SpaceX operating in the country without having to surrender ownership, according to the nation's telecoms minister. "We are engaging our regulator and other stakeholders" on the subject, minister Khumbudzo Ntusi emphasized during a government session. Despite SpaceX's technological advancements, the company's Starlink venture has encountered several regulatory obstacles in its quest to expand its satellite internet services worldwide. The Nano-satellite Starlink constellation launched by SpaceX aims to provide reliable global internet coverage.

The South African government's proposed rule change is a significant shift from previous policies that required satellite-internet companies to surrender a portion of their ownership to local entities in exchange for market access. This clause was included by the nation's telecom authority in April 2022, causing a stir among satellite internet companies like Starlink. The previous rule meant that Starlink would have to cede partial ownership to a local company or citizen to operate in the country.

The recent announcement has been applauded by many experts as a positive development for the industry and the South African people. Removing this barrier will enable SpaceX and other satellite-internet companies to provide services to more people, including those in remote areas who need reliable internet access. It is a welcome step forward in promoting universal connectivity and benefiting from the advantages that satellite internet can offer.

While the telecoms minister has revealed a positive outlook for the revision of rules, it is still a work in progress, and it remains to be seen how this will play out in the coming months. The announcement has people eager to see how this will impact the satellite internet landscape in Africa's largest economy.

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