American billionaire Elon Musk’s telecommunications provider Starlink has not explained how it plans to subsidise internet solutions for remote rural schools.
In South Africa (SA), where the company is also facing resistance to obtain operating licences, Starlink in July announced plans to provide free internet to 5 000 rural schools.
This is part of its investment plan to meet SA’s broad-based black economic empowerment (B-BBEE) ownership requirements, which mandate 30% local ownership for telecommunications licence holders.
Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) spokesperson Mufaro Nesongano confirmed this yesterday, saying Starlink cannot pronounce itself because its operational licence is yet to be approved.
“They can only do so after it is approved,” he said.
Starlink, which is live in over 20 African countries, has applied for a licence to operate in Namibia.
Cran on Tuesday announced it has received 1 164 submissions in favour of Starlink, while only 16 out of 1 180 were not in favour of the company operating in Namibia.
The Namibian last month reported that internet expert Paul Rowney said it would be “madness” to reject Starlink, because the benefits outweigh the risks.
He said its entry to the Namibian market would create a niche, some level of competition, and connectivity for schools, clinics and hospitals.
The Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) is among those in favour of approving Starlink’s licence.
The union says the internet provider will provide an extra-terrestrial network, providing affordable, extensive and reliable connectivity to rural areas.
“Starlink is already available in many African countries, boosting development, education, health options, security and advancing technologies,” the union says.
CAUTION
Schoolnet Namibia founding director Joris Komen describes supporting Starlink as “bad press”.
As a rural user of the affordable 4G/LTE internet service by local internet providers, Komen advises the government to accept the Starlink licence application with caution.
“Access to education in Namibia remains complicated due to the lack of basic infrastructure resources such as libraries, toilets, potable water, electricity, computers and other contemporary devices, the internet, classrooms and school desks.
“Without addressing these issues, further efforts to improve the education system will be significantly hindered,” he says.
Earlier this year, minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus said some 456 schools out of approximately 1 947 had 4G internet coverage.
Komen says approving Starlink’s licence would require addressing multiple technical and administrative challenges.
“How would a Starlink investment be structured and monitored in Namibia? What mechanisms would ensure that promised school connectivity actually materialises? How would success be measured beyond simple connection statistics?” he asks.
Former parliamentarian Maximalliant Katjimune yesterday in an interview with Desert Radio warned the government against approving Musk’s company, because he is involved in geopolitical issues that could undermine the country’s sovereignty.
“My main concern is primarily with Elon Musk as a person and his problematic outlook on the world stage on geopolitics,” Katjimune said.
He said Musk’s view on white genocide in South Africa is incorrect and a danger to the sovereignty of the country, given Namibia’s close relationship with South Africa.
He said the government must be selective about who it engages in business.
Katjimune said the objection period came at the wrong time, as many Namibians are facing end-of-year fatigue and the time frame was not sufficient.
He wants Cran to provide an audience before announcing itself.
Starlink applied to Cran for licence approval last June.
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