TCS | Starlink in South Africa – separating fact from fiction

There has been considerable noise about the launch – or otherwise – of Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service in South Africa, much of it conjecture. What’s the real story?<br /> To unpack what exactly is required of SpaceX-launched Starlink to launch in South Africa – including the rules around black economic empowerment (BEE) – the TechCentral Show spoke to Dominic Cull, a legal expert on the subject.<br /> Cull, who serves as the regulatory adviser to the Internet Service Providers’ Association (Ispa), shares some surprising insights into the process.<br /> Topics tackled by Cull in the discussion include:<br /> • Who is really to blame for Starlink’s failure to launch in South Africa so far;<br /> • What the law really says about BEE and the issuing of telecommunications licences?<br /> • What Icasa’s licensing regime looks like, and which licence types Starlink needs to apply for to launch its services in South Africa.<br /> • Why there is an artificial restriction on the issuing of new licences – and why this makes no sense anymore.<br /> • How Icasa’s “type approvals” for communications equipment work and what they’re for.<br /> • Why Ispa members are keen to work with Starlink.<br /> Don’t miss a fascinating discussion that clears up some of the misconceptions in the market about Starlink in South Africa. <a href="https://www.techcentral.co.za/">TechCentral</a>