Terminals of Starlink are being sold on black markets worldwide. This indicates that the abuse of terminals is a systemic global problem and raises doubts about the company's control over them, according to Bloomberg.
In Yemen, where a decade-long civil war is ongoing, a government official acknowledged that Starlink is widely used. Many people are willing to defy opposing factions, including the Houthis, to obtain terminals for business and personal communication and to avoid the current slow and often censored internet.
Terminals are also being used in Sudan, where a year-long civil war has led to allegations of genocide, crimes against humanity, and the displacement of millions of people from their homes. According to Western diplomats, in conditions where regular internet has not been working for several months, soldiers of the militarized Rapid Support Forces quickly use this system for logistics.
According to the publication, Sudan circumvents the blockade by importing Starlink to the Darfur region. The devices are registered in Dubai. Initially, they are flown to Uganda and then transported by car to Sudan through South Sudan.
In South Africa, social media suppliers offer to activate terminals in Mozambique, where they are licensed, and then deliver them to customers in South Africa.
Usually, residents of countries where Starlink does not have legal coverage activate terminals in "licensed" countries or pay for them using international banking cards.
This year, government efforts to combat illegal terminals in Kazakhstan have had little effect on Starlink usage. According to a trader who imports equipment and does not want to speak publicly about it, government actions have only increased prices on the black market. Before government intervention, customers could buy equipment from the company and receive it through local mail.
Starlink with Russians on frontline
Recently, there has been information in the media that Russian soldiers in Ukraine are using Starlink terminals.
Later, this data was confirmed by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine.
At the same time, SpaceX owner Elon Musk emphasized in response to such information that no one officially sold terminals to Russia.
However, Russian occupiers are experiencing communication problems, even though they have managed to obtain Starlink satellite internet terminals.