Elon Musk offers Iranians uncensored internet access

Elon Musk’s Starlink has activated its satellite broadband service in Iran after the US allowed private companies to offer uncensored internet access to the country amid protests that have caused more than 40 deaths. Starlink is the first in a new generation of satellite networks operating in low-Earth orbit that are designed to provide high-bandwidth internet connections from space directly to individual users. Starlink users are able to bypass a country’s terrestrial communications networks, freeing them from internet censorship. However, a special terminal is needed to receive a signal from Starlink’s constellation of satellites 500km above the Earth. The terminals include a 20-inch satellite dish, which is shipped in a package about the size of two pizza boxes stacked on top of each other. “Obviously, the Iranian government is not going to approve it,” Musk said of the Starlink service. “It would require somebody actually buying a terminal and smuggling it into Iran, but they’d be taking a risk because the government won’t be pleased with that.” Under the new guidelines, US technology companies can provide secure platforms and services within Iran without running afoul of restrictions that usually prevent dealings with Iran. The US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control will also prioritize applications for specific licenses or permissions for businesses related to internet freedom in Iran.