Starlink's work in Azerbaijan is postponed

Azerbaijan’s Minister of Digital Development and Transport, Rashad Nabiyev, met with Rebecca Slick Hunter, Director of Global Licenses and New Markets for Starlink, during her visit to Baku on Monday. The meeting focused on the implementation of Starlink's broadband satellite internet service in Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport announced.

Discussions revolved around expanding high-speed, low-latency internet to remote areas and transportation lines, where traditional services are currently limited. This follows a reseller agreement signed between Azercosmos, Azerbaijan's space agency, and SpaceX’s Starlink on May 9, 2023. The agreement enables Azercosmos to offer Starlink satellite internet services across the country.

The partnership was unveiled at a signing ceremony attended by SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell. Starlink’s services, which have already been tested in Azerbaijan, are aimed at supporting activities such as streaming, online gaming, and video conferencing. The services are also expected to improve connectivity in underserved regions, including maritime and land-based areas, as well as information centers.

In November 2023, a subsidiary named Starlink Azerbaijan was registered in Baku, signaling the formal start of operations. However, full-scale activation of Starlink services in the country is still contingent on regulatory approval.

Starlink is expected to deliver internet speeds ranging from 50 Mbit/s to 500 Mbit/s in Azerbaijan, similar to performance observed in other regions, where download speeds typically range from 25 Mbit/s to over 100 Mbit/s.

Pricing for the service is projected to vary, with basic packages starting at $90 per month for standard bandwidth access and reaching up to $5,000 per month for higher-speed tiers.

Initially, Starlink services were expected to be available to Azerbaijani citizens by the fourth quarter of 2023. However, this timeline has been pushed back to 2024, and further delays are possible. The Azerbaijani government appears to be taking a cautious approach to Starlink's deployment, focusing on securing the exclusive local distribution rights and preventing external entities from managing Starlink’s operations in the country.