Starlink has officially launched its satellite internet service in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), days after receiving a 10-year licence from the country’s telecommunications regulator. The
Starlink has officially launched its satellite internet service in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), days after receiving a 10-year licence from the country’s telecommunications regulator.
The satellite internet operator announced the development in a post on its official X account on Thursday, September 3, saying its high-speed, low-latency internet service was now available in the UAE.
“Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in the United Arab Emirates!” the company wrote.
starlink gen3 The announcement confirms the commercial availability of the service after the UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) granted Starlink Satellite Communications LLC a 10-year General Space Services License on August 28.
The licence authorises the company to establish, operate and manage a public satellite communications network and provide broadband satellite internet services across the country.
The approval covers more than individual residential users. Under the licence, Starlink can provide its services to businesses and government entities, as well as the maritime and aviation sectors.
According to the TDRA, the service will add a space-based layer to the UAE’s digital infrastructure. It is expected to complement existing terrestrial fibre-optic and 5G networks rather than replace them.
The regulator said the addition of satellite connectivity would diversify internet access options and improve the resilience, readiness and continuity of the country’s communications networks under different conditions. This could be particularly relevant for sectors that require connectivity beyond traditional fixed and mobile infrastructure, including maritime transport, aviation, energy, logistics and emergency response.
The TDRA also said the licence would support connectivity solutions for critical sectors and areas requiring additional internet access options, while strengthening the country’s ability to respond to emergencies and crises.
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The 10-year approval represents a significant regulatory step for the satellite internet provider in the UAE, where telecommunications services operate under a tightly regulated framework.
The TDRA said the licence was granted under the country’s approved regulatory and technical frameworks. These include requirements covering security, information infrastructure protection, service quality, reliability, continuity, consumer rights and data privacy. The regulator added that Starlink must also comply with spectrum-use regulations and technical coordination requirements with relevant authorities.
Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, director general of the TDRA, said the approval reflected the UAE’s effort to adopt advanced technologies while maintaining a regulatory environment that supports innovation and investment.
He said the introduction of advanced satellite internet services would expand connectivity options, enhance network resilience and business continuity and support the UAE’s ambitions in telecommunications and the digital economy. The launch means Starlink, can now commercially offer its low-Earth-orbit satellite internet service to users across one of the Middle East’s major digital and telecommunications markets.
Its entry also adds another layer to the UAE’s connectivity infrastructure as the country continues to invest in fibre, 5G and other emerging communications technologies.
The full impact of Starlink’s arrival will depend on how the service is adopted across consumer, business and critical sectors covered by the new licence.