Ghana to License Starlink Amidst Internet Blackout Concerns

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, Ghana’s Minister for Communications and Digitisation, has announced plans to license satellite internet provider Starlink in response to recent internet disruptions caused by subsea cable failures. This decision comes as part of efforts to enhance internet connectivity and mitigate future blackout incidents in Ghana and across West and Central Africa.

SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, is expected to launch its services in Ghana by the third quarter of 2024, as indicated by its coverage map. However, Starlink’s low earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, comprising approximately 6,000 satellites, already covers Ghana and other African countries where regulatory frameworks are yet to be established.

While Starlink services have been legally available in Nigeria since February 2023, Ghana is now in the process of licensing the satellite provider. Minister Owusu-Ekuful revealed that satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks have been licensed, with OneWeb, another satellite internet provider, already licensed and operational in the country since 2022.

Owusu-Ekuful stressed the importance of collaboration across Africa in satellite connectivity, advocating for unified investments in RASCOM, a pan-African satellite communication organisation initiated by African governments and states.

Despite previous warnings from Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) regarding the unauthorised sale of Starlink equipment, Owusu-Ekuful acknowledged the necessity of licensing Starlink while addressing concerns about its affordability. She pledged further investment in rural broadband provision and the exploration of more economically viable satellite services to ensure broader access to internet connectivity across Ghana.

“We’re currently also having discussions about affordable back-haul satellite solutions with all satellite service providers under the auspices of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU),” Owusu-Ekuful stated. “This conversation has been ongoing for a while, but I believe what has happened in the recent past will activate and energise these discussions for solutions to be reached soon.”

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Source: Capacitymedia