Sāmoa bans Musk’s Starlink

Risk to public safety and national security says government

In April 2023, I reported thus: Elon Musk disrupts South Pacific. Now the scale of this disruption is becoming clear, particularly in Sāmoa which has found itself heavily in debt over its recently installed fibre optic cables. And then Musk cames along with his low orbit satellites.

This month Sāmoa’s Office of the Regulator (OOTR) issued a strikingly draconian order, in mostly capital letters: ‘IMMEDIATE CEASE and DESIST OF UNAUTHORIZED STARLINK SATELLITE SERVICES’. 

Signed by the acting regulator Venus Iosefa-Salanoa, the order says they have identified unauthorised use of Starlink satellite equipment: ‘These services involve the use of Starlink user terminals (“Kits”) and service plans (tariffs) not approved by the OOTR. That broke the law.

Starlink in low orbit