6 days ago
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Frustration is growing in Papua New Guinea weeks after the government ordered Starlink to shut down operations in the country as businesses, health providers and communities struggle without access to internet services.
Starlink, owned by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is a satellite internet company that provides internet to remote places. In mid-December, the National Information and Communications Technology Authority (Nicta) ordered the company to halt operations because it was not licensed in PNG.
“Starlink is currently not licensed to operate in Papua New Guinea, and until the legal process is completed, services cannot be allowed,” Nicta’s acting chief executive,Lume Polume, said.
Nicta is now waiting on the ombudsman or the courts in PNG to issue a directive over whether it will be granted a licence. No timing has been provided on when a directive will be issued.
Starlink did not respond to a request for comment. In an email to customers, it said it wanted to provide internet in PNG once approvals were granted.
There are no official figures on how many people use Starlink in PNG but the shutdown is causing distress for internet users across the country.
Telecommunications analysts have estimated that before the shutdown, Starlink terminals served thousands of people, including some entire villages or districts in remote areas in the country. The service was mostly used in rural areas where mobile networks are unreliable or do not exist. Other satellite services are available but are often much more expensive.
Businessman and former Maprik MP John Simon said the shutdown ignored the struggles of ordinary people and small businesses in PNG.
“This is really bad for this country. Internet and online services have been very expensive and slow for years, yet we cannot listen to the little people out on the street and sort this out,” he said.
“The PNG government must do something for the struggling small [businesses]. Ordinary people and small [businesses] rely on the cheapest and fastest option, and right now that is Starlink. This issue must be sorted.”
The country’s communication minister declined to comment.
About 200 people have signed an online petition asking for Starlink to be allowed to operate legally.
Health workers and teachers have also said losing Starlink has affected their work and access to services. Businesses have said their ability to reach customers and process payments has been disrupted, and some farmers and traders now have to travel long distances to towns to access banking and other services.
Simon Jack, a teacher at a high school in a remote part of Southern Highlands province, said the shutdown was making life hard for students.
“Students need internet to check their results and see where they have been selected to study [this year]. For many of them, Starlink was the only option that worked.”
Health worker Theresa Juni, from East Sepik province, said Starlink helped her clinic communicate with doctors in town and send reports quickly.
“Now we have to wait days or travel just to send information. For patients who need urgent care, these delays can be dangerous.”
Starlink has faced licensing issues in the Pacific before. In 2024, Tonga’s government ordered the internet satellite company to cease operations until it was granted a licence. It sparked frustration from local users reliant on the service in the wake of an earthquake that left parts of the country without internet.
