Botswana is the latest African nation to grant SpaceX Starlink a full operating license. This move comes in response to the internet services company’s threat to restrict services in unlicensed areas, marking a significant step in the country’s technological progress.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi, demonstrating his commitment to enhancing connectivity in Botswana, personally intervened to expedite the license’s approval. In a statement on his office’s official Facebook page, he revealed that the decision was made following a meeting with Starlink executives in Dallas.
“I gave them two weeks to fast-track this, and they have already been given a licence,” Masisi said.
Starlink has been under pressure to cease operations in several countries where it isn’t licensed after a March investigation by Bloomberg News revealed the extent to which the satellite network is being used outside its authorised jurisdictions.
Last week, Zimbabwe announced that it’s granted an operating licence to Starlink. The company, which services more than 2.6 million customers globally, delivers broadband internet beamed down from a network of about 5,500 satellites that SpaceX began deploying in 2019.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi has announced that Starlink services, which are expected to be available in Botswana soon, hold promise for remote areas. This development could be a game-changer for farmers and others in these regions, offering a connectivity lifeline when conventional fixed broadband is unavailable.
A spokesman for the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority declined to comment.
Despite the lack of an official operating license in the country, it’s worth noting that some internet users and service providers have openly acknowledged their usage of Starlink’s services in Botswana using roaming kits, further solidifying the company’s presence and legitimacy in the region.
