The UAE has granted Starlink a 10-year license to provide satellite broadband to individuals, businesses and government entities, extending its authorized services beyond maritime connectivity. (Image source: TDRA)The UAE’s Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority has granted Starlink Satellite Communications LLC a 10-year General Space Services License, allowing it to establish, operate and manage a public satellite telecommunications network in the country.
The license extends across several customer categories. TDRA said Starlink may serve individuals, businesses and government entities, while also providing connectivity to the maritime and aviation industries. Energy, logistics and emergency-response operations are among the sectors that could use the additional network option, according to the regulator.
Starlink was not entirely new to the UAE licensing system before the latest announcement. A license published by TDRA in 2024 authorized Starlink Satellite Communications Services LLC to operate satellite internet infrastructure in the country for 10 years, from June 12, 2024, through June 11, 2034. Crucially, its permitted services were restricted to maritime satellite internet.
Under that earlier authorization, Starlink could provide internet access aboard ships, yachts, barges and other forms of maritime transportation. The license stated that this restriction would remain in force until TDRA amended or removed it through written notice. The newly announced scope is considerably wider because it expressly includes individual, business and government users, along with aviation and maritime connectivity.
The two-stage development shows how the UAE has approached Starlink’s entry into the market: beginning with a defined maritime use case before authorizing a broader range of services. The latest decision shifts the regulatory focus from connectivity aboard vessels toward a network capable of serving multiple parts of the economy, including public services and commercial operations.
Satellite broadband will enter a market where terrestrial connectivity is already widely developed. TDRA says the UAE ranked first globally for fiber-to-the-home coverage in 2024 and sixth in its telecommunications-sector development measure in 2025. The regulator also maintains coverage resources for fiber and mobile networks, including 4G and 5G services.
Rather than presenting satellites as a replacement for those systems, TDRA characterized Starlink’s network as an additional layer alongside fiber and 5G. Satellite links can provide another route to the internet in locations where terrestrial infrastructure is unavailable, difficult to deploy or temporarily disrupted. Such redundancy may be relevant to vessels, aircraft, remote operations and organizations planning for service interruptions.
The regulator linked the authorization to network resilience and business continuity, particularly during emergencies or crises.
Starlink’s broader authorization arrives in a market where fixed and mobile services are led by e& and du. Earlier in August, TDRA renewed both companies’ public telecommunications licenses for another 20 years, covering the period from Aug. 9, 2026, through Aug. 8, 2046.
The Starlink decision introduces a different type of provider into that landscape. While e& and du operate extensive terrestrial networks, Starlink delivers broadband through satellites. Its presence could give some households and organizations another connectivity option, although the extent of any competitive effect will depend on service availability, pricing and customer demand.
The authorization broadens the range of technologies available in the UAE telecommunications market. Starlink’s satellite-based model can operate alongside established fiber and mobile networks, giving consumers, businesses and public-sector organizations an additional way to connect based on their location and operational needs.
UAE rules require providers undertaking regulated telecommunications activities to obtain the necessary authorization. TDRA’s satellite licensing guidance says satellite operators may also require spectrum authorizations, approvals for earth stations and regulatory clearance for telecommunications equipment, depending on the service and technology involved.
The broader license gives Starlink a path into customer segments that were not covered by its earlier maritime-only authorization. It could also introduce another connectivity option for organizations that place a high value on network redundancy, particularly in transportation, logistics, energy and public-sector operations.
H.E Majed Sultan Al Mesmar, Director General of TDRA, stated: ”This license 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.”
The decision places satellite broadband more firmly within the UAE’s regulated telecommunications system. As services expand, Starlink will operate under the same national priorities governing other communications providers, including network security, service reliability, data privacy and consumer protection.
