Elon Musk’s Starlink was already accessible in 25 countries earlier this year. However, the company revealed earlier this month that it had expanded into seven more nations, bringing the total number of countries it operates to 32. This number is projected to rise to 35 when Starlink receives approval in three more nations. Starlink’s CEO verified through Twitter that the company now has permission to operate in Nigeria, Mozambique, and the Philippines.
In Nigeria, Ubale Maska, the Executive Commissioner of the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), speaking on behalf of Prof. Umar Danbatta, the Executive Vice-Chairman of the NCC, said the country is seeking healthy competition. The panel promises to make sure that these innovative technologies have a chance to succeed.
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“As the regulator of a highly dynamic industry in Nigeria, the Commission is conscious of the need to guarantee that our regulatory measures are anchored on national interest,” Maska said in May after a visit to Nigeria by the Starlink team. We listened to your presentation and will consider it in light of our regulatory goals of fostering an effective and sustainable telecoms ecosystem in which a licensee’s operational model does not stifle healthy competition among licensees.”
Elon Musk tweeted this announcement via his Twitter handle as the company has been providing satellite Internet access coverage to 32 countries.
Starlink is a global provider of high-speed, low-latency broadband internet. Orders are filled on a first-come, first-served basis within each coverage region. The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has granted Starlink, a SpaceX-operated satellite internet constellation, a license to operate in Nigeria.
Starlink Internet Services Nigeria Ltd secured two licenses: an International Gateway license and an Internet Service Provider (ISP) license. According to NCC, the International Gateway license is valid for ten years, whereas the ISP license is valid for five years. Both licenses are valid until May 2032, after which they can be renewed.
Starlink enables video chats, online gaming, streaming, and other high-data-rate activities previously impossible with satellite Internet, thanks to high speeds and low latency, as low as 20 minutes in most places. Users can also use the Portability feature or Starlink to take Starlink with them.