Starlink blocked from launching in Namibia

[Hanno Labuschagne]

Starlink blocked from launching in Namibia

Namibia turned down an application by SpaceX's Starlink to launch in the country, denying the satellite Internet company access to radio spectrum and a telecommunications service licence.

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) issued a notice on the decision on Monday, 23 March 2026.

 

[Apogee]

Sure there have been agreements behind the scenes as it would look very bad if SA was the sole country on the whole continent without Starlink.

 

[BTTB]

Not bothering to read the article, but Namibia of any country could do with satellite internet.
Lots of remote places with no internet connectivity.

 

[satanboy]

Must be the BEEE and the ANC

 

[TheOracle]

Namibia requires telecom licensees to have 51% local ownership.

 

[Randux]

Must be the BEEE and the ANC

Damn ANC is everywhere

 

[satanboy]

It can seek reconsideration of the decision within 90 days under the Communications Act. Namibia, South Africa, and Angola are the only three Southern African countries that have not permitted the service to launch.

 

[The Gilded]

Yes, yes! God bless Namibia! Our only neighbour with common sense.

 

[Brian_G]

Namibia requires telecom licensees to have 51% local ownership.

Ok then... nice Marxist group of countries down here

Posted by @satanboy

It can seek reconsideration of the decision within 90 days under the Communications Act. Namibia, South Africa, and Angola are the only three Southern African countries that have not permitted the service to launch.

 

[Apogee]

This is a good example of the 'Politics before progress' syndrome that this continent is cursed with.

It will make a big difference to people living in rural areas' lives that could also then join the global stage.

 

[FiestaST]

https://twitter.com/x/status/2036136588145565884

 

[HumanShield]

I don't know much about Namibia, but aren't they also goverened by a psuedo communist party that wants state control of everything with very aggressive indigenisation laws? If yes, then this article makes sense

 

[ShaunSA]

Go Namibia!

We don't need Eelawn's schitty nazi tech polluting our world!

 

[Swa]

Namibia is probably the country that needs it the most. *facepalm*

 

[Brian_G]

Go Namibia!

We don't need Eelawn's schitty nazi tech polluting our world!

Don't like the concept of the skies being endlessly filled with semi-useful stuff either, but it's considered progress so best to roll with it. If not Elon then someone else does it.
Has some values.

 

[wbot]

Haha that will show....... the people of Namibia

 

[Kaapie]

How the hell can countries battling with the legacy of racism and settler colonistation, be wary of a company owned and run by a lying white supremacist apartheid beneficiary who believes their laws and protocols to uplift the previously disadvantaged are unfair to his quest for world domination.

crazy
Rural Namibians must be chomping at the bit to get on to twitter and only fans.

 

[wbot]

a lying white supremacist apartheid beneficiary

All the cool buzz words

 

[ShaunSA]

Rural Namibians must be chomping at the bit to get on to twitter

There's more than a few MyBBérs on there as well. I'm told it's because it's pedo heaven but @MiW and @tetrasect refuse to confirm or deny

 

[Johand]

The funny thing about all the people going around screaming how terrible the governments are for not allowing Starlink is... The FCC in the US have several restrictions and ownership requirements for telecom companies that want to operate in the US. To say these things are unique to us, and is part of a commie plot is disingenuous.