Elon Musk's Starlink Receives License to Provide Internet Services in Nigeria and Mozambique
The Nigerian Communication Commission NCC Approved Elon Musk's Starlink to offers Internet Service in Nigeria.
Elon Musk which is currently the Tesla CEO made an announcement on Friday 27, 2022 on his Twitter page that Starlink, the SpaceX broadband internet system has been granted an approval to provide internet services in Nigeria and Mozambique.
Starlink is an internet provider and a subsidiary company of SpaceX - space exploration company own by Elon Musk. Starlink currently operate in thirty-six (36) countries and and has over 400,000 subscribers around the world.
NCC confirmed this Elon's announcement and the license granted was followed after visit to Nigeria by the company’s team in May last year to discuss the possibility of obtaining a licence to offers Internet Service in Nigeria.
Starlink received two licenses, which include the International Gateway license and Internet Service Provider (ISP) license, and will be trading as Starlink Internet Services Nigeria Ltd. According to NCC, the International Gateway license has a 10-year tenure while the ISP license is to last for five years. Both licenses take effect from May 2022 and may be renewed after the expiration.
- NCC confirmed.
Starlink have received two (2) licences - (1) The International Gateway License and (2) The Internet Service Provider ISP, and the company will be doing business as Starlink Internet Services Nigeria LTD.
Starlink approved by Nigeria 🇳🇬 & Mozambique 🇲🇿https://t.co/Q1VvqVmJ2i
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 27, 2022
In addition to the NCC announcement, Starlink has been offered an International Gateway License of ten (10) years tenure while its Internet Service Provider ISP is to last for five (5) years. These license tenure have take effect from May, 2022 and both licenses maybe renewed after expirations.
Starlink entering Nigeria - creating a competitive space to present Nigerian Internet service provider that is dominated by telcos like MTN and Airtel, and as well as individual ISPs such as Spectranet, SMILE and others.
Meanwhile when comparing Starlink subscription plans to existing internet plans in Nigeria which cost an average of 50USD, Starlink is a more expensive option costing 599USD (330,000Naira) for a full kit, plus a terminal, mounting tripod, and Wi-Fi router, then a 110USD (60,500Naira) for preorder and monthly subscription. Starlink premium service costs about 2,500USD (1.375 Million Naira) for the full kit and 500USD (275,000Naira) on a monthly basis.
In excess, Starlink subscription plan price range are deemed costly for the average Nigerians, unless the internet provider company - Starlink offers a different price range for the Nigerian Internet Space Market.
Like I said earlier, Starlink is a low latency broadband internet system and the company claims to meet the needs of consumers in rural areas with low internet penetration across the globe. In simpler terms, it delivers super-fast internet via satellites to rural areas. However, we hope it doesn't offers it price range too expensive to average Nigerians like it does in other countries.
Leave you opinions about this in the comments section, and thanks for reading.
