Image: Starlink
Lebanon has officially granted SpaceX a license to provide Starlink satellite internet services nationwide, marking a major development for a country long plagued by crumbling infrastructure and chronic electricity shortages — reports The Stamford Advocate.
Information Minister Paul Morcos made the announcement on Thursday, noting that Starlink will deliver internet services throughout Lebanon using SpaceX’s growing satellite constellation. The decision comes after months of discussions, including a June presentation by Starlink executive Sam Turner to President Joseph Aoun, as well as a direct phone call earlier this year between Aoun and Elon Musk.
Starlink’s entry into Lebanon could prove transformative for a nation where unreliable power and outdated networks have hindered connectivity for decades. Lebanon’s electricity grid, run by the corruption-plagued Electricite du Liban, has cost the state more than $40 billion since the country’s civil war ended in 1990. For years, Lebanon has faced long, daily blackouts, with conditions worsening following the country’s 2019 economic meltdown and last year’s 14-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
The move to license Starlink comes just weeks after the service celebrated surpassing 7 million users across 150 countries and territories. In the U.S., SpaceX also recently secured approval from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to boost the radiated power on two of its Starlink dish models, enabling faster speeds and more reliable connectivity for subscribers.
Lebanon’s government also used the same Cabinet meeting to appoint long-delayed regulatory authorities for its electricity and telecommunications sectors. International organizations have long pressed for these reforms, with the electricity regulator in particular being a key demand as Lebanon seeks to secure loans and aid.
With Starlink now officially licensed, Lebanon is set to benefit from the kind of high-speed, low-latency internet already available in remote and underserved regions worldwide. The development could play a critical role in bridging digital divides and supporting economic recovery in one of the hardest-hit economies of the past century.
