So, people who bought brand-new Starlink kits from the now-licensed operator were excited. Everything went well until the saw their packages placed ‘On Hold’ by DHL, Starlink’s distribution partner.
Theories started flying around the internet, as you would expect. People claimed various things, so we reached out to the responsible parties to get to the bottom of it.
Potraz not responsible for shipping delays
Some individuals claimed that they were told that POTRAZ was responsible for the delays. There were claims that ZIMRA, the tax authority, was waiting for approval letters from POTRAZ to release the kits.
We spoke to a POTRAZ representative, who requested anonymity, and they confirmed that POTRAZ is not responsible for the delay. They explained that POTRAZ had already licensed Starlink, and no further authorisation was needed for kits to be delivered to Zimbabweans.
However, the claims that ZIMRA was awaiting their approval also reached the regulator. To cover all bases, POTRAZ wrote to ZIMRA, clearing all kits imported directly from Starlink.
POTRAZ didn’t actually need to do this, as the necessary approvals had already been given when Starlink was licensed.
On Buying Directly from Starlink’s Website
The POTRAZ representative also addressed growing confusion as some people began wondering if they were not supposed to purchase their kits from the official Starlink website. There were concerns that buyers might be forced to use resellers.
POTRAZ clarified that Starlink is allowed to sell directly to Zimbabweans. Starlink has a Zimbabwean subsidiary, Starlink Zimbabwe, and can sell directly through its main website (starlink.com) without any need for a specialized platform.
What POTRAZ won’t stand for are unauthorised resellers pushing wares on Facebook or wherever else they are peddling their wares. If you want to go with an authorised reseller like TelOne or Aura for example, to get better payment options, you’re also free to do that.
Here’s the position: Potraz says they provided all the necessary approvals to Starlink and so if there are any other shipping delays, that has nothing to do with the regulator.
So, why the holds?
We reached out to DHL to understand why some kits were placed on hold. Was it a hold to be expected in the normal course of international shipments, or was there some abnormal regulatory hurdle? We will update you when we get a response.
However, our friends at Zimpricecheck report that deliveries have commenced. They report that some users got messages that delivery was imminent, following the status of the deliveries changing from ‘On Hold’ to ‘In Transit.’
Apparently, some users in Harare and Bulawayo have already received their kits bought directly from the Starlink website.
So, at this point, we can conclude that whatever caused the snag has been resolved. However, we will wait to hear from DHL so that we can get to the bottom of why there were delays in the first place.
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If you are struggling with buying Starlink for any reason, general payment challenges, transferring a kit to Zimbabwe, selecting the right hardware for their needs, installation, accessories, troubleshooting Starlink and other such issues… a local ICT company, Safari Mounts, is helping Zimbabweans navigate Starlink problems with some hand holding. They can be contacted via this Google form and are charging a nominal fee to help. Techzim benefits a referral fee when they help you.
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