Starlink has notified its users in South Africa that their internet services will be discontinued by the end of the month. This decision comes after the discovery of terms and conditions violations, as outlined in an email sent to numerous South African subscribers. According to the email, the service termination on April 30th is due to the use of Starlink kits outside of the designated areas shown on the Starlink Availability Map. After this date, users will no longer have internet access but can still log into their accounts for updates.
Owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Starlink provides high-speed internet globally through a network of low earth orbit satellites. Despite its groundbreaking potential for enhancing connectivity, the service has faced regulatory hurdles in South Africa. The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) has not granted Starlink a license to operate locally because it fails to meet a key requirement: 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged groups.
In response, some South Africans have employed creative strategies to access the service, such as buying roaming packages from countries where Starlink is officially available. However, Icasa issued a statement in a government gazette last November, declaring this workaround illegal. Starlink reiterated in their recent communication that their ‘Mobile – Regional’ plans are designed for temporary travel purposes, not for ongoing use in unauthorized locations. They warned that continuous misuse of these plans could lead to further service restrictions.
Starlink has encouraged those interested in legally accessing their services to engage with local authorities to facilitate this.
