Starlink barred from charging advance money from Pakistani users

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has stopped satellite broadband provider, Starlink, from charging advance money from Pakistani users, as the company has neither applied for, nor obtained any license from the authority to operate and provide internet services in Pakistan.

The general public has been advised in their own interest that they must refrain for engaging in any pre-booking orders being placed on Starlink or any of its associated websites.

The directions came in the wake of reports that Starlink, through its website, is asking intended subscribers to pay a deposit of USD 99 (refundable) as pre-order for equipment/ services.

The PTA has already taken up the matter with Starlink to stop taking pre-order bookings from intended consumers with immediate effect as the company has not been granted any license for provision of internet services in Pakistan.

Last month, Starlink announced that it will shortly open office in Pakistan that will be its first operation in South Asia.

Elon Musk’s SpaceX Starlink and the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecom Pakistan had also planned to launch Starlink’s Satellite Broadband Internet across Pakistan.

A delegation of US-based global satellite broadband provider, Starlink, consisting of the Director Middle East and Asia, Ryan Goodnight, and Head of Global Site Acquisition Ben Macwilliam called on the Minister of IT and Telecom, Syed Aminul Haque, last month to discuss the policy and operation model.

The ministry spokesperson said that the minister IT mentioned the opportunity that 40,000 schools, the SME’s and enterprise scale up and broadband connectivity is an attractive business model apart from un-served and underserved areas.

Member Telecom briefed about Balanced Space Satellite Regime that shall facilitate the LEO Satellite services.

The minister IT and Telecom pointed the tele-density of broadband in Pakistan and win-win situation that will result in the ministry’s vision “Broadband for All” and the PM’s vision of “Digital Pakistan”.

SpaceX also showed interest in Space of Things and Internet of Things setup in Pakistan.

However, the PTA has now issued an advisory for general public in this regard as the company is not registered and cannot operate till registration.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022