As Iran cuts the internet, Starlink keeps some voices online

Some Iranians are still using Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite internet service despite a nationwide communications blackout, three people inside the country said, the latest example of Starlink being used to counter internet shutdowns in geopolitical flashpoints.

Iranian authorities have in recent days launched a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, including the near-complete shutdown of internet service, which is provided through fiber-optic cables and cellphone towers.

But Starlink, which beams its service directly from thousands of low-earth orbit satellites, is still working in some places in Iran, despite being banned by authorities there, three people using Starlink in the country told Reuters. One of them, in Western Iran, said he knew dozens of people using Starlink and that users in border towns and cities were largely unaffected.

Alp Toker, founder of internet monitoring group NetBlocks, said he has heard from people in the region that there is still some Starlink access in Iran, though service appears reduced.

“It is patchy, but still there,” he said.

Toker added a broader internet blackout that began in Iran on January 8th continued on Monday, with non-satellite connectivity at around 1% of usual levels in the country, based on the fixed-line and mobile internet data NetBlocks tracks.

While it is not clear how Starlink’s service was being disrupted in Iran, some specialists said it could be the result of jamming of Starlink terminals that would overpower their ability to receive signals from the satellites.

Starlink, which is part of privately held U.S. company SpaceX, did not respond to requests for comment. Authorities in Iran could not be reached on Monday, amid phone and internet outages. Iranian authorities have blamed the unrest on terrorists and vowed to safeguard the governing system.

Critical toll amid conflicts

The communication lifeline Starlink has provided for some protesters in Iran is the latest sign of the influence Musk and his satellite internet service have in global conflicts and unrest around the world.

Starlink has been a critical tool for Ukrainian forces since Russia's full-scale invasion in 2022. In Myanmar, where the military junta has imposed repeated internet shutdowns, rebel groups, aid organizations and medics have used Starlink for communications. In Sudan, Starlink has also been used by both sides in a years-long civil war due to prolonged blackouts.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he plans to speak with Musk about restoring internet in Iran, without mentioning Starlink.

Musk previously shipped free Starlink terminals, which are slightly larger than a laptop, to Ukraine and offered free internet service there. Standard Starlink terminals cost around $599, plus a monthly service fee, making it unaffordable for many Iranians.

Musk's ability to tip the balance in global conflicts was demonstrated when he shut down Starlink as Ukraine retook territory from Russia in 2022, Reuters previously reported.

Starlink is not licensed to operate in Iran, but Musk has previously said the service is active there. In December 2022, he posted on his social media platform X that the company was “approaching 100 Starlinks active in Iran," a modest figure given Iran's population of 92 million.

In June last year, in response to a post on X calling for him to provide Starlink access to Iran, Musk posted “beams are on.”

Following the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June, Iran’s parliament passed a law formally banning the use of Starlink, introducing severe penalties for those who use or distribute the unlicensed technology, according to Iranian state media.

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