American tech billionaire Elon Musk has waived the subscription fees for his Starlink satellite service in Iran. This was reported by the news agency Bloomberg. Musk wants to offer the service for free for as long as the internet blockade in the country continues.
Iranians can currently use the service free of charge, Ahmad Ahmadian told Bloomberg. He is the director of the U.S.-based organization Holistic Resilience. The organization works with Iranians to ensure their internet access. A source familiar with Starlink has confirmed the free access but wished to remain anonymous.
Starlink is a satellite network operated by the American aerospace company SpaceX, of which Musk is the CEO. Thousands of the company’s satellites orbit the Earth at a relatively low altitude. To use the service, a Starlink receiver is required. According to Holistic Resilience, more than 50,000 such receivers have been smuggled into the country.
Since last Thursday, the internet and nearly all telecommunications have been blocked. To a limited extent, Iranians can access the internet when they connect to a Starlink satellite, allowing images and information to be shared sporadically. Some activists are doing so.
Tracking activists
Iran has banned the use of Starlink satellites because the regime claims they are used for espionage and sabotage activities. To prevent citizens from spreading information, Iranian authorities jam about 80 percent of satellite signals.
For those who do manage to connect, the Iranian regime may be able to intercept signals, potentially allowing users to be tracked.
Because of this danger, activists share their messages and images with the outside world only at certain times—specifically when the distance to a satellite is shortest. At that moment, the connection is strongest and information can be shared quickly.
Satellite equipment seized
Iranian intelligence services have seized a “large quantity” of satellite equipment, according to BBC Persian. This reportedly includes one hundred long-range receivers, fifty signal boosters, more than seven hundred 5G modems, and nearly eight hundred mobile phones.
