To say the Starlink licensing saga is unconventional is tatamount to saying water might be wet. Listen, I’m not compalining, but it has to be acknowledged: it’s one weird story. We have a few updates.
The Minister of ICT, Tatenda Mavetera told the Sunday News,
We are currently working on technical modalities like interoperability between Starlink and other network service providers. We want to make sure that there is no interference with the existing network service providers. We have set a target of two weeks and in the next two weeks, we expect to have completed the technical modalities. The Postal and Telecommunication Regulatory Authority has set the third quarter of the year as the time frame to fully roll out but we are saying as a Government we need to expedite the processes
Again, I’m not complaining but it is a little unusual to hear a government say it is looking to expedite the licensing of an operator. I get it though, we have been among the Starlink evangelists and understand the benefits the country could obtain from Starlink’s arrival.
The Minister does go on to talk about some of those things. Those are the conversations we had all of last year. We shan’t get into them but let us unpack her statement above.
Technical modalities
She’s talking about what goes into the licensing of a company that provides internet access. She gave examples of interoperabilities and the intereference issue. Let’s get into that and the other modalities that go into this. I know some are wondering why it takes so long. (Not agreeing that it should take long though, for any operator, not just Starlink.)
Interoperability and Network Integration
We have to ensure seamless interoperability between Starlink’s network and existing network service providers. This involves technical coordination to prevent interference and establish protocols for data exchange and routing (finding the best paths to deliver data efficiently.)
Or in simple English, we need to align Starlink’s technology with existing service providers’ stuff. It involves managing frequency allocations to avoid interference with other services.
Frequency allocation
The government needs to allocate specific radio frequencies for Starlink’s operation and issue the necessary licenses. This involves coordination with international bodies to avoid interference with other satellite systems or terrestrial networks.
Ground station infrastructure
Some of the experts we have talked to see this being a huge issue. Zimbabwe’s current laws require that any company offering the services that Starlink wants to offer needs ground stations in the country.
The problem is, Starlink does not have ground stations in every country it operates in. It gets around this by linking satellites using lasers, which sounds like sci-fi.
You see, back when state media was yet to get on the Starlink bandwagon, they used that fact to bash the service. Here’s a quote from The Herald from back in February,
Starlink also uses optical space lasers to transmit data without local ground stations, which could pose a threat to other satellites and potentially weaponise space. For example, China and Russia have expressed concerns that the US could use its satellites to launch attacks on their space assets, or to disrupt their military and civilian operations.
It remains the case and if I were a betting man, I’d wager that of the locations Starlink would have picked out to set up ground stations, Zimbabwe was not one of them.
So, the expediting process the Minister talked about might involve getting some executive authorisations for Starlink to operate without having to set up ground stations.
Regulatory compliance
As much as we all want to see Starlink and its competitors operate in Zimbabwe, we cannot just throw the rulebooks out and roll out the red carpet. There has to be some semblance of the rule of law being applied, lest we lose our ‘prime investment destination’ status.
So we need to ensure Starlink complies with local regulations and obtains necessary approvals from government bodies. Issues like consumer protection, fair competition, and data privacy have to be ironed out.
More technical stuff
We won’t get it all but it includes:
- Network Testing: Conducting extensive testing to ensure reliability and performance.
- User Terminal Deployment: Ensuring the availability of user terminals (satellite dishes) , along with clear installation guidelines and support for users.
- Technical Support and Maintenance: Establishing a technical support system to address any issues that may arise. This includes having trained personnel, spare parts, and maintenance protocols.
Expediting the process
The Minister says they want to get the above sorted out in 2 weeks. The regulator in charge of this, Potraz, had a broad Q3 deadline but the government says we should set it all up in 2 weeks.
Knowing our government, it will be done. Say what you want about them, but when they want something done, it gets done, otherwise heads will roll over at Potraz. Not literally, although I wouldn’t rule that out if my life depended on it.
We should note that this doesn’t mean we will be getting Starlink in 2 weeks. It only means we want the ball to be in Starlink’s court in 2 weeks’ time. SpaceX did say they were targeting a Q3 launch. However, there is some bad news on that front.
The Starlink website now says they expect to start servicing Zimbabwe in 2025. For the past few months, it had indicated Q3 2024, yet now that the licensing process has begun in Zimbabwe, they have pushed the start date back.
Here is what I think happened: as Starlink dealt with Potraz, after the President approved their licensing, they realised there were numerous issues that needed to be resolved with the stringent Zimbabwean authorities. Hence why the timeline was moved up.
I believe the statement by the Minister is meant to let Potraz know that these are perilous times and some creativity is needed in ensuring the licensing goes ahead as was previously scheduled. What does creativity look like? Who can say?
Try not to think about it too much
I did say this was an unconventional licensing. Some of us are trying to not look too closely at the specifics. ‘Just get the first low earth orbit satellite internet provider in and we’ll deal with how we got it later,’ goes the thinking.
I’m not here to say we should celebrate or shun this, to each their own. It is an unusual situation though, and that cannot be denied.
Will the expedition produce the required result and bag us Starlink in Q3 2024? We shall see but when there is this much political support, I don’t foresee any untenable challenges ahead.
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