The Telecommunications Commission Solomon Islands (TCSI) has officially granted a class license to Starlink Solomon Islands Limited, enabling the company to provide telecommunications services across the country.
The historic agreement was signed by TCSI Commissioner Calvin Ziru and Ryan Goodnight, a senior director at Starlink Solomon Islands Limited, at the TCSI office in Alvaro Building, Honiara.
Starlink, a satellite internet service operated by Starlink Services, LLC, a subsidiary of SpaceX, offers high-speed internet through a constellation of low Earth orbit satellites.
Owned by American entrepreneur Elon Musk, Starlink currently serves 102 countries, providing broad and affordable connectivity.
Commissioner Ziru talked about the significance of this development for the Solomon Islands, noting that the introduction of Starlink will enhance internet accessibility and affordability for the population.
“The telecommunications service that Starlink provides, through its low Earth orbit satellites, allows for greater and faster connectivity. Starlink’s scale enables them to offer extensive services at the lowest possible prices,” Ziru said.
Addressing concerns about the impact on existing providers Solomon Telekom and Bemobile, Ziru reassured the public that the arrival of Starlink would introduce healthy competition, ultimately benefiting consumers. He also said that smaller Internet Service Providers (ISPs) would have the opportunity to leverage Starlink’s services.
