Islamabad, Aug 27: In a recent statement to the National Assembly of Pakistan, the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication (MoIT&T) of Pakistan confirmed that Starlink, a well-known satellite broadband service provider, has not yet obtained the license required to operate in the nation.
The ministry cited concerns over potential interference between Geostationary Satellite Orbit (GSO) and Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit (NGSO) systems as a significant factor in the delay in license approval. Starlink has not complied with the technical and regulatory framework established by the government.
After registering as “Starlink Internet Services Pakistan (Private) Ltd.” with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) in December 2021, Starlink, a SpaceX subsidiary, has been actively pursuing the introduction of its services in that country.
In February 2022, the company submitted an application to the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for a Long Distance and International (LDI) license. The Ministry made it clear that none of the satellite broadband companies, including Starlink, have fully complied with the license requirements for a commercial launch, despite the excitement around Starlink’s possible debut into the Pakistani market.
The Ministry went on to say that other satellite broadband providers are also expressing interest in serving Pakistan, not just Starlink. It has also been stated that other foreign operators of Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites would like to operate in the nation. All of these businesses must first, nevertheless, abide by the security, technical, and regulatory standards established by a number of national organizations, such as the Frequency Allocation Board (FAB) and the PTA.
The Strategic Plans Division (SPD) and the Space & Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) are two of the stakeholders that conducted thorough reviews that contributed to the delay in the license approval for Starlink. Regarding the technological, legal, financial, and commercial aspects of Starlink’s proposed operations, several agencies voiced a number of concerns.
The licensing procedure has been drawn out because, despite conversations with Starlink, the company has not yet satisfactorily resolved these concerns to the satisfaction of the stakeholders.
The MOITT noted that the fact that Starlink’s application was the first of its kind in Pakistan added to the process’ complexity in addition to the technical and legal difficulties.
The delay was caused in part by the lack of a defined registration and regulatory framework, which was only created when Pakistan’s National Space Policy was approved in December 2023 and the Pakistan Space Activity Rules (PSARB) were approved in February 2024. In order to pursue obtaining the relevant approvals for its services in Pakistan, Starlink must now comply with these new laws.
