Grace Ashiru
In Botswana, the Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA) has declared the importation, use, and resale of Starlink devices as punishable offenses. Starlink is currently unlicensed in the country, and BOCRA is reviewing its application for approval.
BOCRA emphasized that Starlink has not granted authorization for the importation, use, or sale of its devices in Botswana. Engaging in such activities without Starlink’s authorization constitutes an offense according to BOCRA. While the specific charges Starlink could bring against offenders remain unclear, Starlink’s terms of use prohibit importation and resale in countries where the service has not yet launched.
Some Starlink device owners, reportedly using them for personal use, are facing entry restrictions at the Kazungula border post with Zambia, where the service has been officially launched.
At the Kazungula border post, individuals attempting to cross into Botswana with Starlink devices have reported being instructed to return the devices to Zambia and being denied entry into Botswana. One individual, who preferred to remain anonymous, shared their experience with TechCabal. Another person, who attempted to bring in a Starlink device, was directed by border control to contact the regulator for permission, but their request was unsuccessful.
The devices will not be permitted into the country until BOCRA licenses the service and grants authorization for their entry.
While importation and resale of Starlink devices are prohibited, users can legally utilize the devices in various locations on the continent, including countries where it is not yet licensed, through the ‘roaming’ option. However, users must have legally purchased the device in a country where Starlink has been licensed.
Starlink resellers like Starsat, operating from Mozambique where the service is licensed, appear to exploit this ‘loophole’ by offering importation and delivery of Starlink units to countries such as South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. However, recent reports from MyBroadband indicate that Starlink terminated the accounts of numerous customers who purchased Starlink kits through Starsat and other resellers, citing a breach of the terms of use.
