An email sent out to Dandemutande customers over the weekend confirms the company is now an Authorised Starlink Reseller. This brings to 3 the number of companies that have said they are officially reselling Starlink services in Zimbabwe.
News about Dandemutande being a reseller first appeared in December 2023. The issue of Starlink licensing however soon became political in Zimbabwe, with one company, IMC, apparently anointed to be the sole distributor in Zimbabwe. But that didn’t work, and Starlink eventually went live over the weekend, the implication being it has been licensed.
The recent email from Dandemutande read in part:
I am thrilled to share some exciting news with you – Starlink, the innovative satellite internet service, is now officially licensed in Zimbabwe! We are delighted to announce that Dandemutande Investments Pvt Ltd is an Authorized Reseller for Starlink services in the African region where Starlink provides services…
…We are pleased to inform you that you can now pre-order your Starlink kits through Dandemutande Investments. We will be providing an end-to-end service from installation, customer services to subscriptions as part of our offering.
Moreover, through our subsidiary Utande Internet Services Botswana, we can facilitate orders for Starlink services. In the region, Utande Internet Services are available in Malawi and in Namibia we are operating under the Africa Online brand. In Zambia, we have incorporated Utande Internet Services Zambia and services will be available in Q1 2025…
Yes, you do remember the Africa Online deal from almost 10 years ago right?
Strangely, the telecoms regulator, POTRAZ, has remained silent even with such a big development in the sector. When Techzim checked with the regulator 2 weeks ago, we were told Starlink was not licensed yet. Maybe it’s still political on their end and they have to choose their words and the timing carefully – who knows!
As of the writing of this article, only Paratus is listed on the Starlink website as an Authorised Reseller. But, in addition to Dandemutande, Frampol and ZODSAT have announced they also are and that customers can buy from them.
What’s your take?