Starlink goes live in DRC as government reverses ban on Musk’s satellite service

DRC said on Friday that it had become the latest African country to grant a license to Starlink, reversing an earlier ban.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said on Sunday in an X post that the company's satellite system Starlink, is now available in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
DRC said on Friday that it had become the latest African country to grant a license to Starlink, reversing an earlier ban.
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The Congolese government said in March 2024 that the use of Starlink was banned, with military officials warning that it could be used by rebel groups, including M23, which has seized more territory than ever before in the east of the country this year.
War-torn DR Congo has low connectivity, with just around 30 per cent of the population using the internet as of 2023, according to the International Telecommunication Union.
The satellite internet provider is rapidly expanding its services in Africa and is live in more than a dozen countries.
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