Lebanon’s cabinet has given Elon Musk’s satellite internet venture, Starlink, the green light to operate in the country—though with strict boundaries. The licence, confirmed by the state news agency, allows Starlink Lebanon to beam internet service across the nation, but only to businesses, not households.
Telecommunications Ministry spokesperson Tony Saad revealed that Starlink formally set up shop in Lebanon after nearly half a year of wrangling with officials. The approved packages will start at $100 per month, making it clear this is a corporate affair rather than a public free-for-all.
For decades, internet access in Lebanon has been the guarded turf of state-owned providers and their affiliates, whose slow service has long frustrated the public. These same players lobbied hard to keep Starlink out, but the cabinet ultimately cleared the way for Musk’s satellites to orbit into the country’s bandwidth.
The move follows a June phone call between Musk and President Joseph Aoun, where the billionaire signaled his interest in Lebanon’s struggling telecom sector. Now, with the licence in hand, Starlink enters one of the world’s most sluggish internet markets—though only businesses will feel the speed boost for now.
