Elon Musk’s Starlink Receives Green Light in Chad, Promises Faster Internet Nationwide
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Roshan Amiri
- . November 12, 2024
- . Update: November 12, 2024 8:59 pm
In an effort to increase internet service accessibility in the central African nation, Chad said today that it had authorized the licensing of Elon Musk’s satellite internet company ‘Starlink.’
Although SpaceX’s satellite division, Starlink, operates in a number of African nations, it has encountered pushback from state telecom monopolies and regulatory obstacles in other nations.
Chad’s Communications Minister Boukar Michel told Reuters by telephone, “We have been talking to Starlink since 2021 and we have managed to agree on the essentials. A large part of our territory is not covered by fiber optics and I believe that Starlink will help us bridge this gap.”
He continued that Better internet connection will enable Chad to digitize public services in outlying areas and support the growth of tech start-ups.
Elon Musk took X social media on Monday and posted, “Starlink now available in Chad!”
Yet Starlink continues to face regulatory obstacles in other regions of the continent. Due to licensing concerns, Cameroon requested earlier this year that Starlink equipment should be confiscated at its ports.
The top telecom company in Kenya named Safaricom has asked authorities to think about requiring satellite internet companies like Starlink to collaborate with regional mobile network carriers.
Among the African nations Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Mozambique, Malawi, Madagascar, Benin, South Sudan, Eswatini and Sierra Leone only have internet provider operations. In 2022, only 12% of Chad’s population had internet connection according to the most recent World Bank data.
Chad’s internet problems have limited freedom of expression and concerned human rights organizations. Internet problems have occurred in Chad most notably in February 2021.
Internet shutdowns are a common tactic used by authoritarian administrations particularly prior to elections to avoid responsibility for crimes by stating that the internet will cause oppression against political opponents. Even the government has arrested activists for their social media posts.
With the ability to unite underprivileged communities and promote economic growth, Starlink’s arrival into Chad shows a major step towards increasing internet access throughout the continent.
