Starlink services to launch in Pakistan by Nov or Dec, says IT minister

• Consultants working out satellite internet regulations.
• Shanghai SpaceCom also seeking satellite internet license.
• Starlink to reapply for full licence once regulations are complete.
  

ISLAMABAD: Starlink, the satellite internet service, is set to launch in Pakistan by November or December, according to Minister of State for Information Technology (IT) and Telecommunication Shaza Fatima Khawaja.

The minister shared the update during a meeting of the National Assembly Standing Committee on IT and Telecom, chaired by Aminul Haq.

Last month, Khawaja confirmed that the satellite-based internet provider was granted temporary registration in Pakistan following the directives of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. “With the consensus of all security and regulatory bodies, Starlink has been issued a temporary no-objection certificate (NOC),” she said in a statement on March 21.

The Chairman of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) informed the meeting that the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB) had granted Starlink a temporary licence. 

The PTA chairman clarified that the company would receive a full licence once the regulatory framework for satellite internet is given final touches.

Addressing questions from the committee, IT minister Khawaja assured that there were no significant hurdles in issuing the licence. 

She explained that satellite internet is a new technology, which required careful consideration from various angles. 

To assist with this, the government had hired consultants to help conclude the regulations, she added. “Once the regulations are complete, Starlink will need to reapply for its full licence.”

Khawaja also mentioned that a Chinese company, Shanghai SpaceCom, had applied for a satellite internet licence in Pakistan. “The government wants to ensure a competitive market, encouraging more companies to enter the sector,” the minister said.

With Starlink’s infrastructure set to be installed soon, its services will be available in Pakistan by the end of the year, bringing new internet options to users across the country.

The clearance from PSARB was a mandatory condition for satellite-based internet-providing companies to operate in the country. The sources further said that the body had also worked out key technical issues, including frequency, power, and earth gateway stations.

While Starlink’s infrastructure is expected to be set up soon, sources indicate that it could take up to one year for its services to be fully operational in Pakistan, owing to delays in technical and regulatory steps.

In order to ensure high-speed internet connectivity, Starlink’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite will operate at an altitude of 250 to 500 kilometers.