Starlink filed an application aiming for a May 2023 launch, but regulators found the company did not provide all the required information, Tech Cabal reported.
A Botswana Communications Authority insider said: “There were issues with missing requirements in the application, which were identified and brought to our attention.” They haven’t addressed this issue yet. ”
To operate in Botswana, companies like Starlink must pay a P5,600 application fee, an annual license fee of up to P386,000 (approximately $28,500), and 3% of annual operating revenue.
african starlink
Starlink’s operations in Africa aren’t exactly rosy, with the continent facing regulatory challenges and only 40% of Africa’s more than 1.3 billion people having access to the internet. This is the lowest percentage in the world.
Starlink is banned in South Africa because it does not comply with the legal requirements outlined in the Electronic Communications Act (ECA). The law requires that historically disadvantaged groups (HDGs) must own 30% of a company’s shares in order to obtain the necessary telecommunications license to operate local broadband services.
Zimbabwean parliamentarians also rejected Starlink’s application, citing the EU investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X. Despite these setbacks, Starlink holds licenses in Zambia, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.
