Six satellite internet firms register in Pakistan, but none cleared to operate
Six satellite internet companies have registered with the SECP, but registration does not allow them to offer services. Security clearances and regulatory approvals are still pending.
- Six satellite internet companies are registered with the SECP, which says registration alone does not permit service.
- Starlink, Galaxy Space and SpaceCell Pakistan await Ministry of Interior security clearance.
- Companies need a PSARB NOC and then a PTA licence before consumers can get access.
Six satellite internet companies have registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), but none can yet offer commercial services in the country, according to details the SECP gave to the Senate Standing Committee.
TechJuice reported that the SECP shared the registration details in a report submitted after a letter from committee chairman Rana Mahmood-ul-Hassan. Minute Mirror reported that the documents went to the Senate committee and the Cabinet Division, and that the six include Starlink, owned by Elon Musk.
Four of the registrations came after the Pakistan Space Activities Regulatory Board (PSARB) was established. TechJuice named these as Aether One, Flanavotics, Galaxy Space and SpaceP. It said Starlink and SpaceCell Pakistan have also registered as local companies.
The SECP said company registration does not allow a business to provide satellite internet. Companies must first obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from PSARB. TechJuice reported that SpaceP is the only company so far to have submitted its PSARB NOC.
Progress is also held up by security vetting. Daily Times reported that foreign directors and key shareholders of Starlink, GalaxySpace and SpaceSail Pakistan are waiting for final clearance from the Ministry of Interior. TechJuice said clearances for Starlink, Galaxy Space and SpaceCell Pakistan are pending, so they cannot move ahead with licensing.
Daily Times reported that inter-agency teams are reviewing documents to check data privacy protocols and sovereign security requirements.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) will grant commercial licences once these prerequisites are met. Applicants need Interior Ministry clearance and a PSARB NOC before final PTA approval. Consumers will get access only after all statutory conditions are fulfilled.
Why it matters
Consumers and businesses waiting for satellite internet in Pakistan cannot yet sign up, because no registered company has the required approvals. Access will begin only after companies obtain Interior Ministry security clearance, a PSARB NOC and a PTA licence. The reports give no date for when this may happen.
