- Botswana's President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, reportedly met with SpaceX executives who expressed an interest in obtaining an operational licence in the country.
- During a business summit in the United States, the president met with the Internet provider's director of global licencing and activation.
- Meanwhile, the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) rejected Starlink's earlier application for a licence in the country in February 2024, citing the company's failure to meet all requirements.
Then, two weeks later, it banned the import, use, and sale of Starlink kits or services within the country.
In April 2024, Starlink emailed its roaming customers, informing them that by the end of April, its services would be unavailable in regions where it had not yet been authorised. This would disconnect individuals and businesses in places like Botswana.
Botswana is not the only country in which Starlink is not licenced. It is illegal in several countries, including Zimbabwe, Cameroon, and South Africa. The Zimbabwean telecom authority had ordered Starlink to disconnect its Zimbabwe subscribers; however, Starlink complied with the directive, notifying its users in the area by email.
Previously, users in Zimbabwe devised new methods to avoid law enforcement by concealing satellite Internet kits.
Cameroonian authorities are concerned that Starlink will overshadow Camtel, the country's national Internet service provider. Additionally, it proceeded to seize Starlink kits at its border pending regulatory approval.
Meanwhile, Ghana has recently removed itself from the unlicenced list of countries in Africa after the National Communications Authority (NCA) approved Starlink's operation and provision of satellite broadband services. However, the administrative processes for issuing the licence are currently underway.
When it declared Starlink illegal in December 2023, it stated that any entity selling Starlink equipment or providing Starlink services in Ghana had directly violated the Electronic Communications Act 2008.
Furthermore, according to the Starlink availability page on its website, the device will be available in the region by Q3 2024.
