Elon Musk-owned Starlink given license to provide telecommunication services in Solomon Islands, a development that guarantees faster and affordable telecommunication services
TELECOMMUNICATIONS Commission Solomon Islands (TCSI) has formally granted Starlink Solomon Islands Limited its class license allowing Starlink to engage in telecommunications services in the country.
Starlink is a satellite internet constellation operated by Starlink Services, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of American aerospace company SpaceX, providing coverage to 102 countries. The subsidiary is owned by Elon Musk, a South African-born American entrepreneur and businessman.
The landmark signing was executed by TSCI Commissioner Calvin Ziru and Ryan Goodnight of Starlink Solomon Islands Limited at the TCSI office at Alvaro Building in Honiara Thursday. Mr Goodnight is one of the company’s senior directors responsible for licensing globally.
Mr Ziru said Solomon Islands is one of the countries in the Pacific region that have granted Starlink a license to engage in the provision of telecommunication services.
“The objective of course as you know is for people in Solomon Islands to be able to receive and benefit from the services that we can receive here through Starlink.
“The telecommunication service that Starlink provides is through low earth orbit satellites. Starlink and SpaceX’s satellites are in constellations and they travel at lower orbit and that allows for greater and faster connectivity. And the fact that Starlink is a formidable company in terms of size, it allows them to provide a large number of services to a large number of customers at the lowest possible price,” he explained.
With a lot of concerns from the public as to how Starlink would affect the two existing telecommunication service providers Solomon Telekom and Bemobile, Mr Ziru said the National Government is satisfied with the position that Starlink will not only bring affordable services for Solomon Islanders, but it will also allow for competition and in a way complement the services of the two companies.
He added that smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country will also be able to benefit from the services provided by Starlink.
Mr Ziru said TCSI has met with the Acting Prime Minister Bradley Tovosia and the Ministry of Communications and Aviation (MCA), Fredrick Kologeto and they are fully aware of the process and intentions to formally issue a class license to Starlink.
He said TSCI also had the pleasure of informing other ISP operators in the country about the planned rollout.
Thus, the TCSI Commissioner said he was pleased to formally sign and hand to Mr Goodnight the licence to operate in Solomon Islands.
By AGNES MENANOPO
Solomon Star, Honiara
