Transformative Starlink Internet Capability Hindered by Regulatory Obstacles in South Africa

Starlink, the satellite internet service launched by tech icon Elon Musk, is capable of bringing unparalleled connectivity to those living in remote areas of South Africa. Recent evaluations conducted by MyBroadband revealed that this service has the potential to provide download speeds surpassing 200Mbps, upload speeds over 15Mbps, and outstanding latency.

Starlink was tested on a remote farm situated between Ventersburg and Senekal, using a kit previously supplied by Northern Cape internet service provider IT-LEC. However, IT-LEC had to transfer customers to Mozambican ISP Starsat Africa after telecom regulator International Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) served them with a cease-and-desist notice.

Despite the obstacles presented by Icasa, the service remained functional and efficient. The test site provided a typical representation of network connectivity in rural South Africa, where cellular reception is markedly poor. Local wireless internet service providers (Wisps) are hindered by the available radio frequency spectrum and the restrictions on signal power levels.

MyBroadband's tests illustrated that Starlink is capable of providing a faster, more reliable internet service unparalleled by current providers, at comparable prices. The satellite service could potentially become even more affordable if officially launched in South Africa. At present, this transformative technology is being hindered by regulatory obstacles.

Analyses unveiled that Starlink delivered reliable and speedy download capabilities over a wide array of data-heavy and latency-sensitive applications. The latency, while higher than urban standards, proved compatible with some online gaming experiences, such as Path Of Exile, and showed seamless performance on video calls and conferencing platforms like Discord.

However, the launch of Starlink in South Africa has been delayed due to regulatory uncertainty and stringent equity ownership requirements, hindering the possibility of revolutionizing connectivity in the country's rural areas. The local Internet Service Providers' Association suggests that Starlink need only secure a local partner with 30% ownership by the previously disadvantaged to attain a license and comply with regulations.