ICASA and SpaceX in talks about Starlink

Hanno Labuschagne

Hanno Labuschagne

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ICASA and SpaceX in talks about Starlink​

The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has confirmed to MyBroadband that it is in discussions with SpaceX regarding its satellite-based Starlink Internet service.

SpaceX this week opened pre-orders for its fast, low-latency satellite broadband service across the world, including in South Africa.

Those interested in signing up can put down a deposit of $99 to be prioritised when Starlink goes live in the country in 2022, putting them first in line to get the hardware required to connect to the Starlink network.
 
r00igev@@r said:
My first though was a meeting of brown paper bags, given our Gupta heavy distorted history.
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Look, my first thought was months and months of protracted "discussions" leading to nowhere.

The thought of money changing hands didn't even cross my dumb little mind.
 
Headline soon on MyBB: "Starlink in SA delayed to 2025"

Ok, more likely: "Massive delay in local Starlink rollout", but you get my drift.
 
Although I appreciate that discussions about spectrum are necessary, I cannot help but think that this is the first step in the ANC beginning their interference to keep Starlink away from the people.
 
I can't see how ICASA could do anything if SpaceX is just gave them the middle finger and just ploughed ahead without any regulatory approval.
 
deweyzeph said:
I can't see how ICASA could do anything if SpaceX is just gave them the middle finger and just ploughed ahead without any regulatory approval.
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They can't. Their international licence conditions will be revoked if they ignore country rules. Sure the satellites will be there but they will have to switch them off when overhead and the SKA project also impose restrictions on coverage over large portions of SA.
Very few people have taken much notice of how vast those radio restrictions are.
 
Geoff.D said:
They can't. Their international licence conditions will be revoked if they ignore country rules. Sure the satellites will be there but they will have to switch them off when overhead and the SKA project also impose restrictions on coverage over large portions of SA.
Very few people have taken much notice of how vast those radio restrictions are.
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Isn't it a geosynchronous orbit? As in whichever satellites are overhead have to have those frequency bands turned off pretty much permanently when talking to South Africa?
 
On the one hand I don't see SpaceX swapping paper bags, too risky for their reputation and I don't think Elon would go in for that sort of thing.

On the other hand, nothing gets done here without someone benefitting so likely it will just never happen, or take 4 years to ratify an agreement.
 
UrBaN963 said:
On the one hand I don't see SpaceX swapping paper bags, too risky for their reputation and I don't think Elon would go in for that sort of thing.

On the other hand, nothing gets done here without someone benefitting so likely it will just never happen, or take 4 years to ratify an agreement.
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Our market is too small for them to care. If things get difficult or expensive they just won't bother.
 
Why not build a "SKA" on the moon, and use Starlink to beam data to/from this "MoonSKA"?
Win-win for everyone?
 
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