CHAMWE KAIRA
The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (CRAN) has dismissed all applications seeking reconsideration of its decision to reject the licence applications of Starlink Internet Services Namibia (Pty) Ltd, reaffirming that the company failed to comply with the country’s communications laws.
CRAN said it received 624 requests from members of the public asking the Authority to reconsider its 23 March 2026 decision.
However, 622 of the requests were dismissed because they failed to meet the procedural and jurisdictional requirements set out in the Communications Act.
According to the regulator, the submissions did not clearly identify the decision being challenged, state specific grounds for reconsideration or provide sufficient information to support a lawful reassessment.
The remaining two requests were found to meet the jurisdictional threshold and were fully evaluated.
CRAN said neither submission presented new evidence nor demonstrated any material error in the Authority’s original decision.
As a result, the regulator upheld its earlier ruling, stating that Starlink’s application remained non-compliant with the ownership and control requirements contained in Section 46 of the Communications Act, No. 8 of 2009.
CRAN acknowledged that Low Earth Orbit satellite technology has the potential to improve connectivity across Namibia but stressed that all telecommunications operators must comply with the country’s legal and regulatory framework.
The authority also clarified that exemptions from the ownership requirements under Section 46(2) of the Communications Act can only be granted by the Minister of Information and Communication Technology and cannot be determined by CRAN through a reconsideration process.
Separately, Starlink Internet Services Namibia (Pty) Ltd submitted its own application for reconsideration under Section 31 of the Communications Act.
CRAN dismissed the application after finding that it had been filed outside the statutory deadline.
The authority said neither the Communications Act nor the applicable regulations provide it with the power to condone late applications, meaning the matter could not be considered on its merits.
CRAN further revealed that it received a petition signed by members of the public on 17 June 2026 requesting reconsideration of the Starlink decision.
However, the petition was also submitted after the statutory deadline of 23 April 2026 and therefore could not be considered.
CRAN chief executive officer Emilia Nghikembua said the Authority remained committed to ensuring that regulation is fair, transparent and consistent with the law.
“Innovation and connectivity are important, but they must advance within the framework of the law. Regulatory certainty and compliance are essential to a secure and competitive communications sector,” Nghikembua said.
The regulator said the reconsideration process had not produced any legal or factual basis to change its original decision, adding that the outcome reinforces its commitment to regulatory certainty, consistency and the rule of law in Namibia’s communications sector.
