South Sudan’s Communications Regulator Approves Starlink

The National Communications Authority (NCA) of South Sudan has officially approved Starlink’s operations, allowing the satellite internet provider to offer its services within the country. Customers will be required to register and make payments in South Sudanese pounds, equivalent to the agreed-upon US dollar rates.

Starlink will provide four pricing plans, ranging from $38.19 to $5,005.40 per month. The equipment will be available for purchase at $296.67 for the Standard Kit and $2,502.70 for the Flat High-Performance Kit. These tariff proposals, which comply with the National Communications Act and the 2016 tariff regulations, have received official approval from the NCA.

The satellite plans are categorized into four options: the Standard Plan, Priority Plan, Mobile Plan, and Mobile Priority Plan. It’s important to note that the broadband service tariffs exclude applicable taxes and statutory fees.

Additionally, Starlink plans to appoint local distributors to oversee the delivery of its services throughout the country. The NCA has advised against importing Starlink equipment through unauthorized distributors, as this would violate sections 97 and 98 of the National Communications Act of 2012.

This development follows funding from the Telecom Energy Service Company (TESCO), during which the Finnish development finance institution (FinnFund) highlighted South Sudan as having one of the lowest rates of mobile access and connectivity globally. The approval of Starlink is a significant step towards revolutionizing the country’s communication services.

Starlink is actively expanding its presence in Africa, recently launching services in Madagascar and securing licenses in Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. The company is already operational in over nine African countries, including Nigeria, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and Mauritius.

According to Starlink’s availability map, the service date for South Africa remains unknown. However, reports suggest that Starlink has been operational in South Africa since 2023.