SpaceX is getting closer to obtaining a Starlink license in Yemen, according to a senior government official. Yemen’s internationally recognized government is close to an agreement with the company to provide satellite internet services in the country.
According to a report by Bloomberg, the information was reported by a senior Yemeni official who asked not to be named because he was not authorized to discuss the negotiations. The government is finalizing the Starlink license, although it may take about another month, the source said. If the deal goes through, Yemen will become one of the few countries in the Middle East to approve SpaceX internet, joining Israel and Jordan.
The deal could significantly improve internet services in Yemen. According to the global SpeedTest index, data transfer speeds here are among the slowest in the world.
Most of the country is under the control of the Houthi group. It also operates telecommunications networks in the areas it controls. However, Starlink operates by connecting to the world’s largest network of private satellites. It consists of 6,000 units and their number is constantly growing. Starlink terminals are connected to satellites, which will allow terminal owners to access the internet without obtaining permission from the Houthi rebel group.
Completing the deal would also mark a victory for Yemen’s Saudi-backed, UN-recognized government over the Houthi rebels it has been fighting for years. The rebels control much of the country and use their control of telecommunications networks to strengthen their position and suppress dissent, creating harsh censorship.
