Starlink uses a network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver internet connectivity, allowing it to reach even remote and hard-to-connect areas.
Starlink, the satellite internet service developed by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, is set to begin operations in the UAE after the country’s telecoms regulator granted the company a 10-year licence.
The Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) awarded Starlink a 10-year General Satellite Services Licence, allowing the company to establish, operate and manage a public satellite telecommunications network and provide satellite broadband internet services in the UAE.
How Starlink will differ from du and e&
More choice for internet users
The UAE’s telecoms authority said the service will add a “space-based layer” to the country’s digital infrastructure, complementing existing terrestrial fibre-optic and 5G networks.
It will also diversify internet access options, strengthen the resilience and continuity of the national network under different conditions, and support critical sectors including maritime and aviation transport, energy, logistics and emergency response.
The licence allows Starlink to provide services to individuals, businesses and government entities, as well as satellite connectivity for the maritime and aviation sectors.
How is Starlink different from traditional broadband?
Traditional home broadband from operators such as du and e& is largely delivered through terrestrial networks, including fibre-optic infrastructure. Fibre connections use physical cables to transmit data to homes and businesses.
Starlink, by contrast, uses a network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to provide internet connectivity, allowing it to reach remote and hard-to-connect areas. Customers use a Starlink antenna, or dish, installed at their location to communicate with the satellites.
One of its key potential advantages is coverage in areas where traditional fixed-line broadband may be difficult to install or unavailable.
du packages
du offers home internet through its traditional fixed-line broadband network, as well as wireless home internet using 5G.
Its home internet packages currently start at Dh229 per month, according to the operator’s website.
The company also offers fibre-based packages with higher speeds. One current home package advertises speeds of up to 1Gbps for a limited time, along with Amazon Prime, TV packages and other entertainment services.
e& packages
e& also provides home internet through its fibre network, with eLife packages combining broadband with other home services.
Its current eLife plans include unlimited data, home fibre and Wi-Fi equipment, while selected packages also include TV and entertainment services.
e& is also offering a Neo package with speeds of up to 1Gbps for Dh399 per month, according to its website.
Starlink packages
Starlink’s residential plans in the UAE cost Dh300 per month and include unlimited data and a 30-day trial. The hardware costs extra, starting at Dh1,465, and includes a Router 3 with Wi-Fi 6.
Customers also pay a Dh300 deposit when they pre-order, which is later deducted from the cost of the Starlink kit. The service advertises speeds of up to 400+ Mbps.
For UAE residents already living in areas with high-speed fibre coverage, Starlink may therefore be less about replacing an existing connection and more about offering an additional option.
For people in remote areas, businesses requiring connectivity away from fixed infrastructure, or sectors such as maritime and aviation, satellite internet could offer a different proposition.
