The main points:
- Starlink, the American company does not yet have a license to operate its service in Zimbabwe
- IMC, which the Zimbabwean president had said had been approved to provide Starlink service in Zimbabwe, does not have a Potraz license yet
- IMC, which Zimbabwe’s president claimed had a sole and exclusive local partner, has no such agreement with Starlink. In fact, sources tell Techzim, Starlink don’t want anything to do with IMC
- Given these events and information, Zimbabweans should not expect Starlink services to be legal any time soon. Of course Starlink service itself continues to work locally for people “roaming” in Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe’s telecoms regulator, Potraz, has said that no company has the exclusive right to offer Starlink services in Zimbabwe. The country simply has no such provisions in its telecommunications laws.
Speaking to the government controlled publication Herald Potraz director-general Dr Gift Machengete said:
In our licence categories, we have no licences for exclusivity. Our licences are not technology-specific.
The Herald article also says that Potraz is still processing the application by Starlink the American company for a license in Zimbabwe.
Potraz also made it clear that while it has approved IMC’s license, it has not granted the license yet (yes, there’s a difference). And even when it does, it is a license for operating an internet service in Zimbabwe, and does not grant the IMC any technology or supplier exclusivity. It’s just not within their power to do.
Remember the President said in May:
I’m pleased to announce that i have approved the licensing of Starlink by POTRAZ to provide advanced internet and related digital processing services in Zimbabwe through its sole and exclusive local partner, IMC Communications (Pvt) Ltd.
Turns out IMC is not a Starlink “partner” or “Authorised Reseller”. IMC’s own CEO admitted this recently after he was pushed by the interviewer to say when his company would start reselling Starlink kits:
“…the president is eager, if it was possible to roll it out before the SADC Summit… but we still have to finish the signing, the reseller agreements, whatever whatever.”
Denny Marandure, IMC CEO
Yes. No signed agreement. From what we hear here at Techzim, Starlink don’t want anything to do with IMC. So no “finishing of signing” is about to happen. In fact, sources tell us the IMC is busy finding workarounds to this door that’s been shut in their face. The president was less than honest about things.
In fact, what will delay Starlink’s licensing in Zimbabwe is this attempt to force them to partner a specific company. Starlink would understandably approach its partnerships based on its own commercial and technical terms. In addition of course to some due diligence just to ensure they’re not about to work with crooks.
All this is pointing to one thing: we should not expect Starlink legal operations in Zimbabwe any time soon.
You’d ofcourse think the stuff we discussed above are the main reasons. From what we can tell though, they are not. It’s more a commercial and legal issue. With current laws requiring Starlink to get their international bandwidth locally (so the government is technically able to see the content we’re browsing, and can also order a shut down of the internet when it needs), it’s just too expensive for them to operate in Zimbabwe.
Until that part of the requirements is revised, or they can get better bandwidth prices from Liquid and TelOne, we’ll have to wait.
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33 comments
They could have just let netone or telecel partner with starlink….and about the governments ability to shut down starlink internet…the truth is Elon musk had no choice but but give governments this power inorder to operate even in Europe.
Musk himself said starlink satellites are vulnerable to Electronic warfare systems which was the main reason he had to give governments power to control starlink within their borders for example let’s say he refused to cooperate with Zimbabwean government..Zimbabwe could just by Electronic warfare systems to disrupt starlink satellites and this won’t just affect Zimbabwe it will also affect other neighboring countries and it will be bad for business.
After roads and villas, we need to impress our visitors with the best internet access in the world! By the looks of it, it may not be possible to use Starlink for this, especially for the main event.
Or, could it be, that the dilly dallying is just to buy time for our Chinese friends to complete their Starlink and we become a willing pool for its testing and refinement, having been given free equipment and free unlimited data, guinea pigs, just as we did with that vaccine which we contributed into its being deemed safe after using information obtained from how it worked on us.
Apologies, my response is s not a reply to any response, but a standalone response with a fresh view
This is not the main issue – the key thing is that so far, from what we hear, TelOne and Liquid are not offering commercially viable prices to Starlink
Telecel is a s dead as a dodo , if l meet someone and they give me a telecel number l will erase their number!
You can only cheat your way through life so far. You can only favour your friends and relatives so far. There will always be areas where they just do not qualify. And the end result will be a total shambles, and an embarrassing and disastrous failure! Can the greedy pigs stop trying to reap what they have not sown. Let Starlink be what it was created to be, affordable world class broadband for the masses! Let it be, and keep your greed paws off it!
Good luck to you and yours Denny Marandure!
From what i heard, starlink doesn’t work within middle man. Mask said he sells directly to customers so that the data price is still affordable to every human being.
So if there are going to be resale agreements then mask will set prices himself.
Saka ma crook e zanu haana mikana wekubira wanhu 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Remember hes a multi billionaire so haanyengereri. His wealth is 20 times zimbabwe’s GDP.
Explains why econet was not afraid of Starlink when news of them popped up.
Mbavha
😂😂😂
Does anyone has any idea, how much are the installation costs for ZOL/Liquid’s Fibronix’s Services?
Pliz people help me out
Go to their website. It has all you need to know.
08677123123. Toll free for econet numbers
@everyone.. unlimited data promotion is a bang..LTE and fibre speed has been increased
So those that cannot afford your expensive unlimited promo may be subsidizing those that can afford? and why were speeds slow in the first place before you magically increased the speeds?
Hahaha, indeed…
Competition is always good.
Techzim fam… ko basa ‘re self resetting fuse pa charging system nderei and zvinebasa ika bviswa musystem yacho here
A country being run like a tucshop we are doomed
@Techzim, in response to @that guy, am I permitted to quote Ann Ryand in “Atlas Shrugged” written in 1957?
Permission sought.
Where can I buy starlink roaming kit and how do I go about it
pane panotengesa makits for i think around $700 last is checked, phone number: 0713803383
Mnangagwa’s IMC Communications (Pvt) Ltd deal is transparently corrupt!
@Anonymous, could IMC be an acronym for Integrated Mnangagwa Chivhayo Communications?
Corruptly transparent 🤣🤣🤣
Kkk, maybe
Idr here nhai🤣🤣🤣🤣
Would like to know if starlink is still illegal in Zimbabwe as in if I source my own will I be arrested?
POTRAZ states Starlink is not a licensed operator in Zim. (Read the relevant postal and telecommunications act for clarifications) It is therefore not legal to use it and yes there’s a risk of repercussion.
Very sad. I just had to research before thinking I can connect my Starlink tomorrow if I wish to
Ko iko kuti IMC zvinomboreveyi?
Zvakare it’s newly establishment was it not instigated by the fact that it’s a new adventure as such, those who had lacked the muscle financially would miss the first bus here
Just a simple ask. In summary is having Starlink services illegal or legal in Zimbabwe as of 25 July 2024 ?
Not licensed therefore not legal.
Koiyo SADc yakati kuuya imboriko riniko nhai techzim
From what I know, ZANU PF would rather have the nation pay high data prices kana ivo vasiri kudya.