Starlink users in South Africa are set to lose their satellite internet services by the end of this month, as the company has issued notices of termination due to breaches of its terms.
According to the communication sent out to several users, Starlink will discontinue their internet services on April 30th. The primary reason cited is the misuse of Starlink kits beyond the areas specified on the Starlink Availability Map.
After the service cutoff, affected users will retain limited access to their Starlink accounts solely for receiving updates.
Starlink, a subsidiary of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, operates a constellation of low earth orbit satellites, promising high-speed internet worldwide. Despite its transformative potential, Starlink has faced regulatory hurdles in South Africa, failing to secure a license from the country’s Independent Communications Authority (Icasa).
Icasa stipulates that license applicants must have at least 30% ownership from historically disadvantaged groups. In response to the unavailability of official services, some South Africans had resorted to unconventional means to access Starlink, like buying roaming packages from nations where Starlink operates legally.
However, Icasa made it clear last November that such practices are against the law. Starlink further reinforced this in its recent email, specifying that their ‘Mobile – Regional’ plans are for short-term travel purposes and not for consistent use outside the designated service area. Violating these terms will lead to service limitations.
Starlink encourages those interested in its services to engage with local authorities for possible future availability.