In a note dated July 29, the Executive Body of the National Telecommunications Council (CONATEL) informs the general public and Internet service provider operators in particular, that it received on July 5, 2022, a request for authorization from the American company SPACE X for the supply in Haiti of its STARLINK and SWARM services.

Starlink is a broadband satellite service for Internet access. It comprises a constellation of 4,408 low-earth-orbit satellites with a reduced latency Phase I objective to eventually deploy 12,000 satellites.

Swarm is an Internet of Things service provided worldwide. It represents a set of more than 120 satellites in low Earth orbit, with the objective of deploying up to 150 satellites.

CONATEL undertook the examination of the file and in the interim, approved the initiative of SpaceX / Starlink to equip in Haiti for pilot tests 20 sites of the Civil Protection Directorate (DPC) over a period of four months and the following 5 other sites over a period of two years :

1) Campus Henri Christophe University of Limonade;

2) Michèle Tardieu Library (Library);

3) Hotel Karibe – BINUH (United Nations) support environment;

4) Saint François Xavier School of Ouanaminthe;

5) The Haitian ICT Association (AHTIC).

The assessment is made, among other things, on the basis of the following considerations:

1- Maintaining fair competition:

- Parity of treatment with the competition for the same market;

- Protection of non-dominant operators.

2. Markets or coverage area to be considered;

3. Regulatory measures necessary to take into account the characteristics of new services;

4. Benefits offered by the service in other markets, in other countries;

5. Social and economic impact of new services on society;

HL/ HaitiLibre