A Starlink dish can pick up a signal almost anywhere, but whether it may legally be used is decided country by country. Starlink needs a licence to sell service and the right to use radio spectrum. Some governments also require it to meet local ownership, data and security rules. Our record holds more than 90 regulatory actions involving Starlink, the largest single category on the site. They fall into six broad patterns.

1. No licence, so using it is illegal

The most common situation is simple: Starlink has not been licensed, so selling or using it breaks telecoms law, even though the satellites overhead still work. Regulators in Ghana, DR Congo, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Cambodia and Gabon have all issued public warnings. Some have threatened fines, seizures or prison, as in Guinea and Zimbabwe before Zimbabwe licensed it. Customs seizures of kits are regularly reported, for example in Cameroon.

Many of these users were on "roaming" plans bought in another country. In April 2024 Starlink began cutting off roaming kits used long-term in African countries where it had no licence. Users in Senegal lost service for about two days as a result.

2. Local ownership rules

Several countries require telecoms licence holders to be partly owned locally, which SpaceX has resisted.

  • South Africa requires 30% ownership by historically disadvantaged groups. Starlink proposed an "equity-equivalent" investment instead, and the dispute remains unresolved. See our guide.
  • Namibia's regulator refused Starlink's licence in March 2026 over ownership and control rules, and in June 2026 dismissed all requests to reconsider.
  • Nepal's foreign-ownership cap has stalled Starlink's entry.
  • In Lesotho, a rights group objected to Starlink's licence because it lacked local ownership. The licence was granted anyway, amid claims of US tariff pressure.

3. Security, surveillance and data

Governments want the ability to intercept communications lawfully, to know where data is stored, and to switch service off in an emergency. These demands have slowed or conditioned Starlink's entry in several countries.

  • India licensed Starlink in 2025, but commercial launch still waits on security clearance. See our guide.
  • Bangladesh's regulator said Starlink's lawful-interception tool was not working as required.
  • Sri Lanka put the rollout on hold over data-access concerns.
  • Vietnam capped its Starlink pilot at 600,000 users with local data rules.

4. Protecting local operators

Incumbent telecoms companies often lobby against Starlink. In some territories they hold legal monopolies.

  • Greenland kept Starlink receivers illegal under its national operator's monopoly.
  • In the Falkland Islands, Starlink use was illegal under Sure's monopoly until a 2025 licence.
  • Kenya's largest operator, Safaricom, urged the regulator to make Starlink partner with local telcos.
  • Operators in Morocco are reported to oppose its licence.
  • Mobile operators in Brazil fought Starlink's request for S-band spectrum, and the regulator granted only half of it.

5. Conflict and politics

Where governments restrict the internet, Starlink is a way around them, so it is treated as a threat.

  • Russia banned imports of foreign satellite terminals in 2026, then their sale and use.
  • Iran has arrested people accused of selling Starlink kits, and police reported seizing almost 1,000 devices in four months, while smuggled terminals were used to bypass blackouts.
  • Sudan's army-aligned authorities, Yemen's Houthis and Afghanistan's Taliban have all banned or seized Starlink equipment.
  • Cuba says Starlink operates illegally.

6. Crime

Criminal use has triggered crackdowns that also hit ordinary users.

  • Myanmar: unlicensed Starlink became widespread in scam compounds, and SpaceX said it disabled more than 2,500 kits near them.
  • Thailand moved against scam gangs using smuggled kits.
  • Brazil: Starlink reached an agreement with prosecutors over illegal gold miners in the Amazon.
  • Mali banned kit sales for seven months, citing armed groups.

Licensed does not mean settled

Even where Starlink is legal, regulators keep stepping in. Nigeria's regulator blocked an unapproved price rise in 2024. Malawi's rejected one. The United States withdrew an $885 million rural broadband award in 2022. Mexico's regulator considered fining Starlink for failing to file operating data. The courts and regulators tracker lists every matter with its latest status.

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