South Sudan’s communications regulator, the National Communications Authority (NCA), has granted SpaceX’s Starlink a licence to operate in the country.
Expectedly, the move will boost the current 12.1% Internet penetration and extend services to rural and underdeveloped areas. This move corresponds with the NCA’s mandate to regulate telecommunications and the ICT sector.
Customers will be required to register and make payments in South Sudanese pounds, equivalent to the agreed US dollar rates.
Per the communications regulator, Starlink will offer four pricing plans, ranging from $38.19 to $5,005.40 monthly. The equipment will be available for purchase at $296.67 for the Standard Kit and $2,502.70 for the Flat High-Performance Kit.
These tariff proposals, compliant with the National Communications Act and the 2016 tariff regulations, have received official approval from the NCA.
The satellite plans are categorised into four: the Standard Plan, Priority Plan, Mobile Plan, and Mobile Priority Plan. It is important to note that the broadband service tariffs exclude applicable taxes and statutory fees.
Besides, Starlink plans to appoint local distributors to oversee the delivery of its services throughout the country. The NCA has advised against importing Starlink equipment through unauthorised distributors, as this would violate section 97 and section 98 of the National Communications Act of 2012.
Following the Telecom Energy Service Company (TESCO) funding, during which the Finnish development finance institution (FinnFund) identified South Sudan as having one of the lowest rates of mobile access and connectivity globally, it appears the country has implemented plans to revolutionise its communication services.
Starlink is actively expanding in Africa, recently launching in Madagascar and getting licensed in Ghana, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. The satellite company has already been operating in more than nine African countries, including Nigeria, Rwanda, Malawi, Zambia, Kenya, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, and Mauritius.
What’s more, according to Starlink's availability map, the service date for South Africa is still unknown. However, it has reportedly been operational in South Africa since 2023.
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