Bought your Starlink kit abroad to save some cash, only to find it suddenly stopped working at home? That workaround just hit a wall in the Central African Republic (CAR).
Authorities have suspended the use of Starlink kits operating in “roaming” mode—devices bought in other countries and used locally without going through national approval. The government says these kits fall outside its regulatory framework and raise concerns around security, traceability, and compliance.
If you suspect a similar pattern has played out in Africa, you’re not wrong. The same happened in South Africa, where enforcement actions from regulators forced Starlink to halt roaming.
For CAR, the timing is awkward but telling. Starlink only launched commercially in the country in March 2026, stepping into a market where Internet penetration stands at 15.5%. For many, importing cheaper kits or activating roaming was the fastest way online.
The government is not rejecting Starlink. It is tightening control over how it is used. All telecom equipment must now be approved locally, and roaming kits have not met those requirements.
Between the lines: This is about visibility. Authorities want to know who is connected, from where, and through which devices. Roaming kits, by design, blur those lines.
What is really happening? A familiar pattern is playing out. New tech arrives, users find shortcuts around cost and access barriers, and regulators step in to draw firmer boundaries.
There is also a pricing reality. A standard Starlink kit costs CFA240,000 ($400), with a monthly subscription of CFA33,000 ($59), before taxes. For many users, sourcing hardware from cheaper markets was not just clever, it was necessary.
However, CAR is now closing off the easy access routes, and users either have to legally buy a Starlink kit or forgo fast satellite Internet speed.