Starlink internet goes live in Jordan

Kingdom joins Oman, Yemen and Qatar among Middle East countries with access to the satellite service

Jordan is the latest country in the Middle East to approve Starlink's internet offerings. Reuters

Starlink's satellite internet service can now be accessed in Jordan, according to a post on the company's social media.

Jordan joins Oman, Qatar and Yemen on the list of countries in the Middle East where the company's service is available.

Technology vendors in the Middle East celebrated Starlink's activation in another regional country.

According to Starlink, the company's satellite internet service is now available in Jordan. Photo: Starlink

"Congratulations to the licensing team and SpaceX for making progress here," said a message on LinkedIn by Jimmy Grewal, managing director of UAE-based Elcome, a marine technology system integrators company. "Which country will be next?"

The move comes weeks after Oman's telecoms regulators gave Starlink approval to begin operations.

Starlink’s website says Kuwait and Bahrain are expected to have its high-speed internet service at some point this year. The company's projected service map says availability in Saudi Arabia and the UAE is “pending regulatory approval".

A document posted to the UAE's Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority website shows that Starlink was granted a regulatory licence in 2024 specified for “maritime satellite internet services” that will last for about 10 years.

Starlink's projected service map says availability in Saudi Arabia and the UAE is “pending regulatory approval". A document posted to the UAE's Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA) website shows that Starlink was granted a regulatory licence in 2024 that will last about 10 years, specified for “maritime satellite internet services”.

Starlink, owned and operated by Elon Musk's SpaceX, says its low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and connectivity devices have given more than three million people in at least 100 countries and territories the ability to connect to high-speed internet that was previously unavailable.

Starlink’s standard antennae devices, which connect to the company’s LEO satellites, weigh less than 3kg, contain no moving parts and can withstand strong winds.

Unlike traditional communications satellites, which orbit Earth in the range of 20,000km to 35,000km, Starlink’s thousands of satellites orbit at about 550km, increasing internet speeds and cutting back on latency.

In contrast to 5G or broadband internet, the satellite version does not depend on mobile towers or high-speed data lines, making connection possible in remote areas. LEO satellites have also proven effective in areas of conflict where internet infrastructure has been destroyed.

Morgan Stanley estimates the satellite broadband market could be worth as much as $400 billion by 2040 – about 40 per cent of the estimated $1 trillion generated by the global space industry that year.

Starlink is widely considered to be the leader in the sector, with various estimates suggesting the company’s constellation consists of at least 7,000 LEO satellites.

Most recently, however, Amazon announced preparations to launch the first 27 internet satellites of its Project Kuiper constellation, marking a new phase in the company's plan to challenge Starlink's dominance.

Some experts have said constellations of more than 50,000 active LEO satellites could be orbiting overhead within the next decade.