Starlink officially arrives in Kazakhstan

SpaceX, the company that developed and operates the Starlink satellite internet constellation, has signed an agreement with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Digital Development, Innovation and Aerospace Industry, promising to comply with local legislation when providing satellite internet.

Beginning in the third quarter of 2025, Kazakhstanis will be able to purchase Starlink terminals officially. According to Digital Minister Zhaslan Madiyev, the project will provide high-speed internet to users in remote regions, including rural schools and medical institutions.

«Kazakhstan is a country with a large territory and a dispersed population. To provide high-quality internet to all segments of the population, we use different technologies — from fiber optics to cell towers,» he said.

The legalization of Starlink equipment will allow citizens to use it legally, although the exact conditions for such connections remain unclear. The initiative is being implemented under the Affordable Internet program, which aims to reduce the digital divide, as instructed by President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

«Until today, Starlink operated in Kazakhstan in pilot mode, providing internet access only to schools. It was officially unavailable to the general population. And now, finally, we have reached an agreement, as the company has agreed to comply with all the requirements of our legislation in the fields of information security and communications,» Madiyev added.

In December 2024, the Ministry of Digital Development proposed banning the import of devices from Starlink, Thuraya, Iridium, and Inmarsat, citing threats to national security under a 2012 law. The draft, published on Dec. 6, sparked public outcry, prompting the government to withdraw the document for further revision. It is now under review by the Ministry of Digital Development, the Ministry of National Economy, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Trade, and the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan.