Sawt Falasteen - UAE grants Starlink 10-year satellite broadband licence

The UAE has granted Starlink a 10-year licence to provide high-speed satellite broadband throughout the country, creating a regulatory route for the company to build, operate and manage a public telecommunications network using satellites.

The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority said the General Space Services Licence permits Starlink to serve individuals, businesses and government entities after satisfying the required technical and regulatory standards. It also covers satellite connectivity for maritime and aviation users.

The satellite network will complement the UAE's terrestrial infrastructure, including fibre-optic connections and 5G services. The regulator said the added technology would expand connectivity choices and strengthen the resilience of the country's digital infrastructure.

Satellite communications can provide an alternative when ground-based networks are unavailable or disrupted, giving critical sectors another connection during emergencies and exceptional circumstances.

Services offered under the licence must comply with strict requirements for security, reliability and consumer protection. The authority said greater diversity in communications technology would support the digital economy and help prepare national infrastructure for rapid advances in satellite telecommunications.

U.AlSharif--SF-PST