The UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) has granted Starlink Satellite Communications a 10-year General Space Services License. The Starlink Satellite Internet Licence authorises the company to establish, operate and manage a public satellite communications network and provide broadband satellite internet services across the UAE.
This Starlink Satellite Internet Licence represents an important milestone in the country’s regulatory framework for satellite communications. It introduces a space-based connectivity layer to the UAE’s national digital infrastructure, complementing existing terrestrial fibre-optic and 5G networks rather than replacing them. The move is intended to diversify internet access options, enhance network resilience, readiness and continuity, and support critical sectors including maritime and aviation transport, energy, logistics and emergency response.
UAE Grants Starlink 10-Year Satellite Licence
From a regulatory standpoint, the Starlink Satellite Internet Licence reflects TDRA’s approach to building a flexible and forward-looking framework that embraces emerging technologies while expanding user choice and promoting competition. TDRA said this is expected to contribute to service quality, customer experience and continuity of telecommunications services. The authority also noted that the licence reinforces the UAE’s position as an attractive destination for global satellite system operators, in support of the UAE Digital Agenda and the “We the UAE 2031” vision.
Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director General of TDRA, said: “This licence represents a significant addition to the UAE’s telecommunications sector and reflects the country’s commitment to adopting advanced technologies and fostering a flexible regulatory environment that supports innovation and investment. The introduction of advanced satellite internet services will expand connectivity options, enhance network resilience and business continuity, and support the UAE’s ambition to strengthen its position as a regional and global hub for telecommunications and the digital economy.”
He added: “TDRA is committed to ensuring that the introduction of emerging and new technologies delivers tangible benefits to customers, service quality, and sector competitiveness, while maintaining the highest standards of security, reliability, and consumer protection.”
Licence Expands Satellite Connectivity Across Key Sectors
The scope of the Starlink Satellite Internet Licence extends well beyond individual consumers. It covers businesses and government entities, as well as satellite connectivity services for the maritime and aviation sectors, all in accordance with the UAE’s approved regulatory and technical frameworks. This broadens the licence’s strategic and economic significance across key productive sectors of the UAE economy.
TDRA said the broadband satellite internet services covered by the licence are expected to contribute to digital transformation, develop connectivity solutions for vital sectors and areas requiring additional satellite connectivity options, and enhance the UAE’s readiness to respond to emergencies and crises.
The services authorised under the Starlink Satellite Internet Licence are subject to comprehensive regulatory and technical requirements. These include obligations related to security and the protection of information infrastructure, service quality, reliability and continuity, consumer rights and data privacy, as well as compliance with spectrum-use regulations and technical coordination with relevant authorities.
TDRA stated that these requirements form an essential part of licensing decisions of this nature. The authority’s regulatory approach seeks to balance enabling access to advanced telecom infrastructure and satellite connectivity technologies with ensuring that deployment takes place within a robust framework that safeguards network security and consumer rights. The Starlink Satellite Internet Licence positions satellite communications as a complementary element within the UAE’s broader digital infrastructure strategy.