Starlink terminals can be bought on black markets around the world – Bloomberg
The smuggling of Starlink satellite Internet terminals created by the American company SpaceX under the leadership of Elon Musk has become a global problem, Bloomberg reports, citing sources, Forbes reports.
This has become especially noticeable in regions with poor connectivity where there is a great need for high-speed Internet, such as Yemen and Sudan, where Starlink is used for business and personal needs amid Internet blockages. Venezuela, which has faced US sanctions, is also facing this problem, although officially the company’s satellites do not provide coverage in this country.
In South Africa, terminal trading takes place through social networks, where kits activated in neighboring Mozambique are sold and shipped across the border. Similar schemes that allow circumventing bans through international payment systems are used by retailers around the world.
SpaceX does not have formal agreements with each country to use Starlink, which makes controlling the distribution and use of terminals difficult. Emma Shortis, Senior Research Fellow for International and Security Affairs at the Australian Institute, expressed concern about the lack of accountability for access to and use of the terminals.
It is noted that in Kazakhstan, attempts to combat illegal terminals have only led to an increase in their prices on the black market, without reducing demand.
Regarding the use of Starlink by the Russian military, the Ukrainian military and media reported that the occupiers had installed terminals in their units, including the 83rd Air Assault Brigade of the Russian Federation operating in Donetsk region. Despite Elon Musk’s assurances that SpaceX does not supply terminals to Russia, Ukrainian intelligence points to unofficial supply channels, including through Dubai and Saudi Arabia. As a result, in March, U.S. House Democrats launched an investigation to see if SpaceX took appropriate measures to prevent Russia from using the service in its war against Ukraine.
