Ghana calls for stop to illegal Starlink gear purchases

Details: Manny Pham; Category: Regulation; 11 December 2023; 15718 views

Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) warned sellers of Starlink equipment in the country to cease operations as the Elon Musk-owned satellite connectivity provider, has yet to gain a licence to operate.

In a statement, the NCA highlighted that it has not licenses the operations of Starlink or approved the use of its equipment in Ghana.

It warned that any entity providing electronic communications services without a license is in direct violation of of the Electronic Communications Act 2008, Act 775.

The NCA did not state a punishment for those caught selling or buying Starlink equipment, instead urging the general public to, “desist from patronising any equipment or service purported to be from Starlink. Persons engaging in the sale or operations of the service are also directed to cease and desist immediately.”

Starlink had ramped up the rolling out of services across developing markets in the past 12 months. Kazakhstan is poised to be next as, the government is working to change to legislation to permit general use of the technology, after trialling it in schools.