The Turks and Caicos Islands has granted Starlink a 15-year telecommunications licence, establishing a regulatory framework for satellite telecom connectivity across the Caribbean archipelago. The licence, formally issued following a ceremony on August 27, requires the satellite internet provider to pay an initial licensing fee of approximately $112,600 along with ongoing annual payments tied to revenues and spectrum use. The approval follows a two-year licensing process led by the TCI Telecommunications Commission and introduces new rules governing satellite services in the territory.
Starlink Receives 15-Year Telecom Licence
Under the terms of the licence, Starlink is required to pay seven per cent of gross annual revenues for its network licence, a $23,600 annual spectrum fee, and a further 1.8 per cent of annual gross revenues as a regulatory fee. The licence runs for the same 15-year period afforded to other service providers in the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to details provided by Telecommunications Commission Director General Kenva Williams.
Williams explained that the licensing process took two years, during which the Commission found no existing Caribbean regulatory framework it could replicate. As a result, the Commission undertook consultation with existing operators, satellite providers, stakeholders and the public before finalising the satellite telecom connectivity licence. A Commission survey found that 80 per cent of respondents wanted Starlink, though Williams also acknowledged concerns from existing operators about the potential impact of a global satellite internet provider entering the market.
New Rules Set Satellite Service Framework
The Telecommunications Fee Structure Regulation was amended to create a dedicated category for satellite services, a step that formalises how satellite telecom connectivity providers are regulated within the territory. Williams confirmed that Starlink’s regular satellite internet service operates independently of Flow and Digicel, meaning residents do not require either provider to access satellite internet.
Williams described satellite connectivity as complementary to terrestrial telecommunications, noting its capacity to facilitate internet access in locations and circumstances where conventional infrastructure has been difficult or impossible to deploy. He stressed that Flow and Digicel maintain critical physical and mobile infrastructure and urged the government not to abandon plans for a national fibre network, describing it as essential for the territory’s telecommunications future.
Direct to Cellular Partnerships and Network Role
While the standard satellite internet service functions independently, the relationship between Starlink and existing operators changes with Direct to Cellular technology. Williams confirmed that for Direct to Cellular services, Starlink will partner with Flow and Digicel. This distinction is significant because it means future satellite-to-mobile connectivity will operate through the territory’s established telecommunications providers rather than bypassing them.
Rebecca Hunter, Director of Market Access for Starlink, identified resilience, government continuity, maritime services, disaster management, healthcare and education among areas where the company believes its technology can contribute in the Turks and Caicos Islands. For an archipelago where smaller and sparsely populated islands have historically presented challenges for traditional telecommunications infrastructure, the Commission views the satellite licence as adding another layer of satellite telecom connectivity rather than replacing existing networks, expanding consumer choice while creating future opportunities through established operators.