The Minister of Information Communication Technology, Postal and Courier Services Tatenda Mavetera says they are waiting for the Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ) to complete assessing Starlink’s application to operate in the country, reported NewsDay.
Responding to legislators during a question and answer session in Parliament recently, Mavetera said the government welcomes new technologies as they are critical for development. She said:
We are very much welcome to any other technologies to make sure that we enhance our digital footprint as a country.
For the one that we spoke about, of course, it is a specific question but it is quite an issue that everyone would want to hear about.
Starlink has applied and we are waiting for POTRAZ to finalise the licensing after that we can be able to see it coming through.
Some individuals have been using Starlink besides it not being licenced and several arrests have since been made and offenders have been charged with contravening provisions of the Postal and Telecommunications Act.
In March, a Victoria Falls-based company, Zambezi Boutique Private Limited was ordered to pay a US$500 fine by a Victoria Falls Magistrate for using Starlink internet services.
The company was charged with contravening the Postal and Telecommunications Act Chapter 12:05 i.e. “possession, control or operate a radio station without a radio station license.”
In February, a Chinese mining company operating in Mashonaland Central Province was fined US$700 for using Starlink.
San He Mining company in Guruve was ordered to pay a US$700 fine by a Bindura Magistrate for contravening the Postal and Telecommunication Act.
