Papua New Guinea orders Starlink to stop after regulator says service is unlicensed

Frustration is growing in Papua New Guinea after the government ordered Starlink to shut down operations in the country, leaving businesses, health providers and communities without access to internet services. The National Information and Communications Technology Authority (Nicta) ordered Starlink to halt operations in mid-December because it was not licensed in PNG.

Nicta's acting chief executive, Lume Polume, said: "Starlink is currently not licensed to operate in Papua New Guinea, and until the legal process is completed, services cannot be allowed." Nicta is waiting on the ombudsman or the courts to issue a directive on whether a licence will be granted, and no timing has been provided.

Starlink did not respond to a request for comment; in an email to customers it said it wanted to provide internet in PNG once approvals were granted. The country’s communication minister declined to comment. There are no official figures on user numbers, but telecommunications analysts estimated Starlink terminals served thousands of people, including some entire villages or districts in remote areas.

The service was mostly used in rural areas where mobile networks are unreliable or do not exist, and other satellite services are often much more expensive. Businessman and former MP John Simon said the shutdown "is really bad for this country" and urged the government to act for struggling small businesses.

Key Topics

World, Starlink, Papua New Guinea, Nicta, Lume Polume, Spacex