GHANA’S Minister for Communications and Digitisation, Ursula Owusu-Ekuful, has revealed plans to licence satellite internet provider Starlink, just days after a major internet blackout affected Ghana and neighbouring West and Central African countries due to disruptions to four subsea cables.
SpaceX, the company behind Starlink, is expected to launch its services in Ghana in the third quarter of 2024, as indicated by its coverage map. However, Starlink’s low earth orbit (LEO) network, comprising approximately 6,000 satellites, already covers Ghana and other African countries where regulatory frameworks for satellite internet services are yet to be established.
Minister Owusu-Ekuful addressed parliament this week, stating, ‘We have licensed satellite gateway air stations, landing rights, and satellite air station networks. OneWeb has already been licensed. Starlink is in the process of being licensed and other operators are being encouraged to land in Ghana.’
OneWeb, another satellite internet provider, launched its first Gateway in Ghana in 2022. Owusu-Ekuful emphasised the importance of collaboration across Africa in satellite connectivity initiatives, urging investment in RASCOM, a pan-African satellite communication organisation.
Despite concerns raised by Ghana’s National Communications Authority (NCA) last year regarding the sale of unlicensed Starlink equipment, Owusu-Ekuful highlighted the government’s commitment to enhancing internet accessibility. She acknowledged the costliness of Starlink for Ghanaians but pledged further investment in rural broadband provision and economically viable satellite services.
‘We’re currently also having discussions about affordable back-haul satellite solutions with all satellite service providers under the auspices of the International Telecom Union (ITU),’ Owusu-Ekuful stated. ‘This conversation has been ongoing for a while, but I believe what has happened in the recent past will activate and energise these discussions for solutions to be reached soon.’
Ghana’s efforts to regulate satellite connectivity aim to address internet access challenges and foster digital inclusion, particularly in rural areas. The licensing of Starlink represents a significant step towards enhancing internet infrastructure and resilience in Ghana amidst growing reliance on digital technologies.