SpaceX, the spacecraft manufacturer and satellite communications company led by Elon Musk, has received a license from the Rwanda Space Agency to launch its Internet and high-speed connectivity service, Starlink, in Rwanda.
The anticipated launch of the satellite Internet service is scheduled to commence operation in April 2023 building on the momentum of its current launch in Nigeria, Africa’s largest market.
In the latest announcement, Francis Ngabo, CEO of Rwanda Space Agency, announced that granting SpaceX’s Starlink the license to operate in Rwanda marks a new milestone in the country’s journey to leverage space capabilities for national progress, <a href="https://billionaires.africa/2023/02/14/elon-musks-spacex-secures-license-to-launch-starlink-in-rwanda/">Billionaires Africa</a> reported.
Ngabo expressed confidence in Starlink’s potential to positively impact citizens and businesses, and enhance the country’s competitiveness in the global digital economy.
<blockquote>
<a href="https://zero.pindula.co.zw/elon-musk-hasnt-approached-us-for-licencing-spacex-project-starlink-potraz/">“Elon Musk Hasn’t Approached Us For Licencing SpaceX Project Starlink” – POTRAZ</a>
</blockquote>
With Starlink’s launch in Africa in 2022, Elon Musk has stated that the satellite Internet provider will operate in any legal location on Earth.
Starlink’s technology provides high-speed, low-latency broadband Internet via a constellation of orbiting satellites.
In October 2022, Elon Musk announced the availability of satellite broadband service on all seven continents, after successful testing in Antarctica. 
SpaceX also plans to launch its satellite Internet service in Tanzania in the first quarter of 2023, subject to regulatory approval. The service will be available in Dar es Salaam, the capital city of Tanzania, and four other cities across the country.
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Pindula News

Elon Musk's SpaceX Gets Licence To Launch Starlink In Rwanda

<header class="entry-header tz-wp-tw-mb-2">
The <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Postal_and_Telecommunications_Regulatory_Authority_of_Zimbabwe">Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe POTRAZ)</a> has said Elon Musk hasn’t approached the regulator for licencing Starlink, a SpaceX project providing internet all over the globe.
This comes amid media reports suggesting that Starlink was coming to Zimbabwe at an unspecified time in 2023.
An official at POTRAZ told Pindula News that the regulator has no comment on the case adding that they were only seeing reports in the media. The official spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity:
<blockquote>
Starlink has not approached POTRAZ for a licence so we don’t know their intentions yet.
</blockquote>
The official then referred this reporter to the Director General of POTRAZ, <a href="https://www.pindula.co.zw/Gift_Machengete">Dr Gift Kallisto Machengete</a>, for an official response. 
We, however, could not get a comment as his phone was not being answered.
Starlink works in the same way as VSAT in that you buy a piece of equipment that faces the sky and connects you to the internet via a satellite above you in space, according to <a href="https://www.techzim.co.zw/2023/01/elon-musks-spacex-has-confirmed-starlink-is-coming-to-zimbabwe-this-year-south-africas-date-is-still-unknown/">Techzim</a>.<cite></cite>
</header>
<div class="entry-content">
<h2 id="h-how-does-it-compare-to-vsat-in-zimbabwe">How does it compare to VSAT in Zimbabwe?</h2>
<blockquote>
Starlink is another satellite-based internet service provider just like Zodsat, Utande, and Telco. The only difference is that all VSAT providers in Zimbabwe are using a 3rd party satellite provider, predominantly Eutelsat and Avanti.
Starlink on the other hand is actually launching its own satellites into space which in essence means they are involved in the process end to end. 
</blockquote>
<h3>Speed</h3>
<blockquote>
You can get <a href="https://www.satelliteinternet.com/providers/starlink/#:~:text=SpaceX's%20Starlink%20internet%20has%20grown,RV%2C%20or%20business%20satellite%20internet." rel="noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">50 to 250Mbps on Starlink Internet and Starlink RV (Mobile home) and 150 to 500Mbps on Starlink Business</a> with all 3 variants having unlimited internet. The fastest VSAT speed you can get from Zimbabwean providers is 25Mbps with upload speeds going as high as 6Mbps.
</blockquote>
<h3>Monthly package costs</h3>
<blockquote>
Starlink Internet is US$110 per month, Starlink RV is US$135 per month and Starlink Business is US$500 per month. 
Highest-spec VSAT packages available in Zimbabwe: 
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Utande’s 120GB package is US$363; </li>
<li>Liquid Home’s Unlimited package is US$554; </li>
<li>TelOne’s Unlimited package (650GB) is US$600; </li>
<li>Zodsat’s Unlimited package is US$455. </li>
</ul>
<h3>Setup cost</h3>
<blockquote>
It’s US$599 for Starlink Internet and Starlink RV and US$2 500 for Starlink Business, excluding shipping and duty. 
</blockquote>
<ul>
<li>Utande – US$183 (Equipment hire) US$487 (US$350 equipment only)</li>
<li>Liquid Home – US$1440</li>
<li>Telco – US$700 (US$600 equipment only)</li>
<li>TelOne – US$580 to US$1360</li>
<li>Zodsat – US$450</li>
</ul>
<h2>When will Starlink be available in Africa?</h2>
<blockquote>
<table class="tablepress tablepress-id-580 tablepress-responsive" id="tablepress-580">
<tbody class="row-hover">
<tr class="row-1 odd">
<td class="column-1">2023</td>
<td class="column-2">2024</td>
<td class="column-3">Unconfirmed launch window</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-2 even">
<td class="column-1">Angola (Q2)</td>
<td class="column-2">Botswana</td>
<td class="column-3">Algeria</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-3 odd">
<td class="column-1">Benin</td>
<td class="column-2">Burkina Faso</td>
<td class="column-3">Chad</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-4 even">
<td class="column-1">Burundi</td>
<td class="column-2">Cameroon</td>
<td class="column-3">Central African Republic</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-5 odd">
<td class="column-1">Congo</td>
<td class="column-2">Cape Verde</td>
<td class="column-3">Djibouti</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-6 even">
<td class="column-1">Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)</td>
<td class="column-2">Comoros</td>
<td class="column-3">Eritrea</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-7 odd">
<td class="column-1">eSwatini</td>
<td class="column-2">Egypt</td>
<td class="column-3">Ethiopia</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-8 even">
<td class="column-1">Gabon</td>
<td class="column-2">Gambia</td>
<td class="column-3">Equatorial Guinea</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-9 odd">
<td class="column-1">Kenya (Q2)</td>
<td class="column-2">Ghana</td>
<td class="column-3">Guinea</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-10 even">
<td class="column-1">Malawi</td>
<td class="column-2">Guinea-Bissau</td>
<td class="column-3">Lesotho</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-11 odd">
<td class="column-1">Mauritania</td>
<td class="column-2">Ivory Coast</td>
<td class="column-3">Libya</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-12 even">
<td class="column-1">Mauritius</td>
<td class="column-2">Liberia</td>
<td class="column-3">Madagascar</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-13 odd">
<td class="column-1">Morocco</td>
<td class="column-2">Namibia</td>
<td class="column-3">Mali</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-14 even">
<td class="column-1">Mozambique (Q2)</td>
<td class="column-2">São Tomé and Príncipe</td>
<td class="column-3">Niger</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-15 odd">
<td class="column-1">Nigeria</td>
<td class="column-2">Tunisia</td>
<td class="column-3">Sierra Leone</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-16 even">
<td class="column-1">Rwanda</td>
<td class="column-2">Uganda</td>
<td class="column-3">Somalia</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-17 odd">
<td class="column-1">Senegal</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3">South Africa</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-18 even">
<td class="column-1">Seychelles</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3">South Sudan</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-19 odd">
<td class="column-1">Somaliland</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3">Sudan</td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-20 even">
<td class="column-1">Tanzania</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-21 odd">
<td class="column-1">Togo</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-22 even">
<td class="column-1">Western Sahara</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-23 odd">
<td class="column-1">Zambia (Q2)</td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
<tr class="row-24 even">
<td class="column-1"> </td>
<td class="column-2"> </td>
<td class="column-3"> </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
</blockquote>
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