The Posts and Telecommunications Authority of Zimbabwe asked Starlink, the Internet satellite service owned by American billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, to disable all kits that were operating illegally in a southern African country until licensed, the authority's chief, Gift Machengete, said.
"It's 100% true that we have asked them to disable those that are connected until they regularize. This is illegal; how can we allow people to broadcast before they are licensed?" he said, as quoted by media.
Machengete revealed that he met with Musk on Thursday and asked SpaceX to submit a formal application to provide services in Zimbabwe.
"I don’t think it will take a very long time once they have submitted," he added.
According to Musk's company website, Starlink plans to begin operations in Zimbabwe in the third quarter of 2024.
However, Elon Musk's company is facing regulatory complications in some African countries.
In February, the Botswana Communications Authority stated that Starlink's application to operate in the southern African country had been rejected because the company had not provided all the necessary information.
Last August, South Africa banned the import of Starlink kits. The country's telecommunications regulator required local ISPs to stop buying, distributing or facilitating the sale of Starlink products that provide any form of satellite access to Starlink services in South Africa.
In addition, Ghana's National Communications Authority announced last December that Starlink was operating illegally in the country and advised the public not to use or supply the company's equipment.
In December 2023, Starlink announced the availability of its services in Eswatini, making it the eighth country in Africa to receive broadband, joining Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique, Kenya, Malawi, Zambia and Benin.