Tribune News Network
Doha
The Communications Regulatory Authority (CRA) issued on Wednesday an Individual Licence for the Provision of Public Satellite Telecommunications Networks and Services to Starlink Satellite Qatar W.L.L. This follows the decision of Minister of Communications and Information Technology His Excellency Mohammed bin Ali Al-Mannai.
Starlink Satellite Qatar has recently been established in Qatar by the leading international company SpaceX. This Licence authorises Starlink Satellite Qatar to provide satellite broadband Internet services to individuals and enterprises in the State of Qatar via the Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation of SpaceX, which provides comprehensive global Internet service coverage. The main services that Starlink Satellite Qatar intends to provide in the country include direct-to-consumer satellite Internet service and “Starlink Premium” service which is designed specifically for businesses and high-demand users and allows download speeds of 150-500 Megabits per second (Mbps) and latency of 20-40 milliseconds (ms), in addition to other services that may benefit the local mobile operators.
The Licence granted to Starlink Satellite Qatar contributes to enhancing the availability of telecommunications services in remote locations away from the mainland, especially in areas where the services of the current licenced companies are not fully available (such as oil and gas platforms at sea, ships, yachts, and aircrafts), provide complementary and alternative telecommunications services for individuals and enterprises consumers, and provide back-up communications throughout the State of Qatar in the event of a major outage in telecommunications networks.
The grant of this Licence is consistent with international trends in the field. It contributes to the development of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) sector and encourages more foreign investments in the country, therefore diversifying the national economy, which supports Qatar National Vision 2030.
The grant of this individual licence followed consultation with the stakeholders and relevant government entities.
The licence can be accessed through CRA’s website via the below link:
https://www.cra.gov.qa/en/documents/decision-of-the-minister-of-communications-and-information-technology-no-9-of-2022
