2024-04-29 22:40:01
It’s a real bolt from the blue in the Cameroonian digital sky. According to exclusive information obtained by 237online.com, users of Starlink, Elon Musk’s satellite internet access service, will be suddenly deprived of connection as of this Sunday, April 30, 2024 at midnight. A terse message sent by the company to its customers confirmed this decision, which had the effect of a cold shower.
It must be said that this outcome seemed inevitable since the decision of the Cameroonian government, on April 5, to suspend Starlink activities throughout the national territory. Minette Libom Likeng, the Minister of Posts and Telecommunications (Minpostel), then ordered SpaceX, the parent company of Starlink, to block its Cameroonian users without delay.
Starlink in the government’s crosshairs: a controversial decision
To justify this brutal decision, the government brandished the argument of illegality, accusing Starlink of operating without a license in Cameroon. “The Cameroonian market is open but regulated. You must have a license »Minister Libom Likeng insisted, while recognizing that the low cost of Starlink packages had attracted many Cameroonians looking for a fast and affordable connection.
But for many observers, this decision actually hides other motivations. Rebecca Enonchong, a technology expert based in the United States, denounced a “ pretext » of the government which “doesn’t care about consumers”. Some even see it as a maneuver by those in power to protect themselves from possible “ surprises » 17 months before the next presidential election, control of the internet being a major strategic issue.
A hunt for Starlink users launched across the country
Regardless, the hunt for Starlink users is now underway nationwide. In a memo dated April 15, Fongod Edwin Nuvaga, the director general of Cameroon Customs, ordered his troops to carry out “systematic seizures of all telecommunications equipment imported through Cameroonian borders”. A real technological witch hunt.
Meanwhile, Cameroonians find themselves trapped, suddenly deprived of an internet access solution which had raised many hopes. For many, it is a forced return to traditional access providers, often criticized for their high prices and uneven quality of service. A pill that is all the harder to swallow as Cameroon has one of the lowest internet penetration rates in Africa.
For its part, SpaceX has not yet officially reacted to this decision. But it is a safe bet that this sudden suspension of the Starlink service in Cameroon will not fail to cause turmoil at the highest level. Elon Musk, the whimsical boss of SpaceX, is known for not mincing his words when his interests are threatened. The standoff is probably only just beginning…