馃嚦馃嚘NamibiaSouthern Africa
Namibia's communications regulator closes Starlink license reconsideration process, directs parties to High Court
via The Namibian2 min read
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia Cran has concluded its reconsideration process regarding Starlink's rejected license application, according to Cran chief executive Emilia Nghikembua. She stated that Cran has exhausted all available avenues and its role in this application is now complete. Aggrieved parties are advised to invoke Section 32 of the Communications Act by bringing an application for review before the High Court. Cran initially rejected Starlink's license application on March 23. Starlink's own reconsideration request, submitted on June 8, was dismissed as it fell outside the 30-day submission window, which closed on April 22. Nghikembua clarified that neither the Communications Act nor regulations permit Cran to condone late applications. Of the 624 reconsideration requests from the public, 622 were dismissed for not meeting legal requirements, such as clearly indicating what needed reconsideration or providing valid reasons. Only two applications met procedural requirements and were considered on merit. A key argument raised was that Starlink would improve competition and bridge connectivity gaps, but Cran had already considered these points during its initial decision. Nghikembua emphasized that licensing assessments are based on six criteria, all of which must be satisfied. Ownership requirements, specifically the 51% local ownership or control, were a prominent issue, with the minister having rejected an exemption request. Cran also declined
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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