Namibia Upholds Starlink License Rejection

Namibia’s Communications Regulatory Authority (CRAN) has reaffirmed its decision to deny Starlink the licenses it sought to operate in the country. On June 22, 2026, the regulator dismissed an appeal by the satellite internet provider challenging the earlier rejection of its licence applications.

The decision means Starlink remains without authorization to provide telecommunications services or access radio spectrum in Namibia. The regulator’s stance keeps the original refusal fully in place, closing off this latest avenue of challenge for the company.

CRAN said Starlink’s application remained non-compliant with the ownership and control requirements set out in Section 46 of the Communications Act, No. 8 of 2009. These provisions govern how telecommunications entities must be structured in terms of ownership and control to operate in Namibia.

By stating that the application “remained” non-compliant, the regulator indicated that the issues identified under the Act were not resolved through the appeal process. The lack of alignment with these statutory requirements was central to maintaining the licence rejection.

The licence denial triggered extensive public and stakeholder responses. CRAN recorded a total of 624 reconsideration requests related to its decision, reflecting broad interest in the proposed entry of Starlink into the Namibian market.

Of these 624 submissions, 622 were dismissed for failing to meet procedural and jurisdictional requirements. The regulator found that only two requests satisfied the jurisdictional threshold necessary to be formally reviewed.

The two reconsideration requests that advanced to formal review were examined for potential legal or factual grounds to revisit the original refusal. CRAN concluded that neither submission provided sufficient justification to alter its position.

With no successful challenge emerging from the reviewed requests, the original licence rejection stands unchanged. Starlink’s appeal and the broader set of reconsideration efforts therefore did not result in any modification of the regulatory outcome in Namibia.