Lebanon grants license to Musk's Starlink in bid to address sluggish telecomms
Starlink’s arrival in Lebanon could give businesses a vital lifeline, but the impact could be limited as long as access is restricted to corporate customers only.
Lebanon’s cabinet has approved a license for Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by billionaire Elon Musk, to operate in the country, the state-run National News Agency reported on Sept. 11.
The move should help boost connectivity in a country featuring some of the world’s slowest internet speeds. The approval also marks a rare opening in Lebanon’s tightly controlled internet sector, which is dominated by state-owned operators unlikely to welcome Starlink’s push into their domain.
Details: Citing a government spokesperson, Reuters noted that the service will be limited to corporate customers, with subscription packages starting at $100 per month. The cabinet decision, granted after months of negotiations, allows Starlink to establish a local subsidiary to provide satellite-based internet services nationwide.
In June, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a phone call with Musk, during which the two discussed the possibility of Starlink entering the country’s telecommunications and internet sector. Aoun and Lebanon’s Telecommunications Minister Charles Hajj hosted Starlink’s global licensing director, Sam Turner, in Beirut several weeks earlier.
