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Iranians Use Musk’s Starlink to Bypass Internet Blackout Amid Protest Crackdown

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Some Iranians are continuing to access the internet through Starlink, the satellite-based network operated by Elon Musk, despite a near-total nationwide communications blackout imposed by authorities, according to people inside the country.

Iranian officials have in recent days launched a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests, accompanied by widespread internet shutdowns affecting fiber-optic and mobile networks. However, Starlink—which delivers connectivity directly from thousands of low-Earth orbit satellites—remains operational in some parts of Iran, despite being officially banned.

Three Starlink users inside Iran told Reuters that the service was still functioning in certain locations. One user in western Iran said dozens of people in his area were using Starlink and that access in border towns and cities appeared largely unaffected.

Alp Toker, founder of internet monitoring group NetBlocks, said he had also received reports of continued Starlink access, though at reduced levels. “It is patchy, but still there,” he said. According to NetBlocks data, the broader internet blackout that began on January 8 continued on Monday, with non-satellite connectivity operating at roughly 1% of normal levels.

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It remains unclear how Iranian authorities are attempting to disrupt Starlink’s service. Some specialists said any interference could involve jamming Starlink terminals by overpowering their ability to receive satellite signals. SpaceX, which owns Starlink, did not respond to requests for comment. Iranian authorities were also unreachable due to phone and internet outages.

CRITICAL TOOL AMID GLOBAL CONFLICTS
Starlink’s role in Iran highlights the growing influence of Musk’s satellite internet network in global conflicts and political unrest. The service has been a critical communications tool for Ukraine since Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, and has also been used in countries such as Myanmar and Sudan, where authorities have repeatedly imposed internet shutdowns.

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

Musk previously shipped free Starlink terminals to Ukraine and offered complimentary service there. By contrast, standard Starlink terminals typically cost about $599, plus a monthly subscription fee, putting them out of reach for many Iranians.

Starlink is not licensed to operate in Iran, but Musk has previously said the service is active there. In December 2022, he wrote on his social media platform X that the company was “approaching 100 Starlinks active in Iran,” a small number relative to the country’s population of roughly 92 million. In June last year, responding to calls for Starlink access to Iran, Musk posted simply: “beams are on.”

Following a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel in June, Iran’s parliament passed legislation formally banning Starlink and imposing severe penalties for using or distributing the unlicensed technology, according to state media. Despite those restrictions, the continued use of Starlink underscores how satellite internet has become a powerful, if uneven, tool for bypassing state-imposed information controls.

FCC Approves SpaceX Plan to Deploy 7,500 Additional Starlink Satellites

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The U.S. Federal Communications Commission has approved SpaceX’s request to deploy an additional 7,500 second-generation Starlink satellites, significantly expanding the company’s satellite broadband network as it seeks to boost global internet coverage.

With the approval, SpaceX is now authorised to operate a total of 15,000 Gen2 Starlink satellites worldwide. The FCC also granted permission for the company to upgrade these satellites, operate across five frequency bands, and waived previous restrictions that limited overlapping coverage and network capacity.

According to the FCC, the newly authorised satellites will support direct-to-cell connectivity outside the United States and provide supplemental coverage within the U.S., enabling next-generation mobile services and internet speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second.

“This FCC authorisation is a game-changer for enabling next-generation services,” said FCC Chair Brendan Carr. “By authorising 15,000 new and advanced satellites, the FCC has given SpaceX the green light to deliver unprecedented satellite broadband capabilities, strengthen competition, and help ensure that no community is left behind.”

SpaceX had sought approval to deploy nearly 30,000 satellites in total, but the FCC said it is, for now, approving only half of that request. The remaining 14,988 proposed Gen2 satellites — including those intended to operate above 600 kilometres in orbit — will be reviewed at a later stage.

Under the decision, SpaceX must launch and operate at least 50% of the authorised Gen2 satellites by December 1, 2028, with full deployment required by December 2031. The company is also required to complete deployment of its 7,500 first-generation satellites by late November 2027.

The approval comes as Starlink continues to reconfigure its constellation. The company said last week it would begin lowering satellites orbiting at around 550 kilometres to 480 kilometres during 2026 to improve space safety. SpaceX disclosed in December that one satellite suffered an in-orbit anomaly that generated a small amount of debris — a rare kinetic incident for the satellite internet operator.

SpaceX, led by billionaire Elon Musk, has become the world’s largest satellite operator through Starlink, which currently consists of about 9,400 active satellites delivering broadband internet to consumers, governments and businesses. Former FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel had previously called for more competition in the satellite broadband sector, noting that Starlink controlled nearly two-thirds of all active satellites.

Starlink to Lower Satellite Orbits in 2026 to Improve Space Safety

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Starlink plans to begin reconfiguring its satellite constellation in 2026 by lowering all spacecraft currently orbiting at around 550 kilometres to approximately 480 kilometres, according to Michael Nicolls, vice president of Starlink engineering at SpaceX.

Nicolls said the move is aimed at enhancing space safety by operating satellites at lower altitudes, where the overall congestion of objects is significantly reduced. In a post on X, he said that condensing Starlink’s orbits would lower the aggregate risk of collisions, as there are fewer debris objects and planned satellite constellations below the 500-kilometre threshold.

The announcement follows an incident disclosed by Starlink in December, when one of its satellites experienced an anomaly in orbit. The spacecraft, operating at an altitude of about 418 kilometres, lost communications and generated a small amount of debris after what appeared to be an onboard explosion. The satellite rapidly dropped around four kilometres in altitude, marking a rare kinetic accident for the satellite internet provider.

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Starlink said the incident involved just one satellite out of nearly 10,000 currently in orbit as part of its global broadband network. While the amount of debris was described as limited, the event highlighted growing concerns over orbital safety as low Earth orbit becomes increasingly crowded.

The number of spacecraft circling Earth has surged in recent years as companies and governments race to deploy large satellite constellations for broadband internet, communications and Earth observation services. Once primarily known for its rocket launch business, SpaceX has become the world’s largest satellite operator through Starlink, delivering internet connectivity to consumers, governments and enterprise customers worldwide.

By lowering its satellites’ operating altitude, Starlink aims to reduce long-term debris risks and ensure that any non-functioning spacecraft naturally deorbit more quickly, contributing to safer and more sustainable use of Earth’s orbital environment.