Starlink Faces Telecom Italia Hurdles in Italy

Elon Musk’s Starlink, a satellite internet provider under SpaceX, is encountering obstacles in its quest to roll out high-speed internet across Italy. The country’s largest phone carrier, Telecom Italia SpA, stands accused of impeding Starlink’s efforts by withholding crucial spectrum data necessary to prevent frequency interferences with its equipment.

In a recent complaint filed with Italy’s communications watchdog and the Industry Ministry, Starlink alleges that Telecom Italia has failed to comply with regulations mandating the sharing of spectrum data, significantly hindering Starlink’s deployment of new gateway equipment. This obstruction jeopardizes not only Starlink’s services in Italy but also its potential expansion across southern Europe and North Africa.

According to Starlink, Telecom Italia “has clearly informed Starlink that it doesn’t want to coordinate,” contrary to practices followed by other carriers. This lack of cooperation could result in service outages in regions reliant on equipment stationed in Italy.

Per Bloomberg, “Telecom Italia rejected what it described as a partial reconstruction of facts that doesn’t take into account ongoing discussions.”

Starlink has urged Italy’s Industry Ministry to intervene and compel Telecom Italia to cooperate on frequencies. Failure to resolve the issue may force Starlink to redirect its investments from Italy to other European countries.

The conflict between Starlink and Telecom Italia traces back to mid-October when Starlink initially requested access to spectrum data. Telecom Italia’s subsequent denial of access, citing technical reasons, has escalated tensions between the two entities.

Representatives from Italy’s communications authority and the Industry Ministry declined to comment, while SpaceX has not responded to requests for comment.

Starlink operates by delivering broadband internet via a network of approximately 5,500 satellites launched by SpaceX since 2019. With its potential to serve millions of customers, Starlink could significantly contribute to SpaceX’s revenue and consolidate its position as a major player in both the private sector and the U.S. government’s space program.