Starlink’s debut: opportunities and drawbacks

Josef Kefas Sheehama - The future appears bright for Namibia in terms of technological advancement, societal development and global competitiveness as long as it continues to seize the opportunities this partnership offers.

Namibia intends to licence Starlink's operations in order to become known as a country that has fully grasped the potential of technical advancement to improve its citizens' lives and stimulate its economy.

Starlink's entry into the Namibian market is therefore applauded since it may present significant opportunities to improve internet accessibility, service quality and competitive pricing in the country, which may result in cheaper internet that is also flexible and responsive to the rate of change.



Possible opportunities

The Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia (Cran) should grant an operating licence, given that Starlink helps local businesses comply with international regulations and standards so they can increase their global competitiveness.

Local content policies must keep up with technological advancements in order to ensure that the returns on technology investments remain domestic.

In addition to fostering sustainable economic growth and providing local workers with access to professional development and training opportunities, this will increase their employability and skill set.

I have no problem with Starlink licensing as long as they consent to a Namibian owning fifty-one percent of shareholdings.



Digital gap

Furthermore, while there will likely be many benefits from Starlink's arrival, the most important one is that, given that there are currently only a few major internet providers in the country, it may help close the digital gap in a place where a sizable part of the populace lacks access.

This change could potentially have a significant impact on the local economy, as well as have a greater overall impact on the nation's trajectory.

It also poses a challenge to established internet service providers like MTC and Telecom Namibia to improve internet accessibility, service quality and competitive pricing in the country, which could result in cheaper internet.



Competitiveness

These developments have the potential to increase Namibia's competitiveness on the international stage.

We must realise that Starlink will not only contribute to internet accessibility and high-speed internet; it also has the potential to have a significant impact by generating economic value and new, innovative business models for other industries.

This will bolster the positive effect of technology on economic growth.

Additionally, because of fast, low-latency broadband internet connections, businesses are able to operate more efficiently, increasing economic output.

This maximises the economy's potential most of the time by enabling more people to work and use resources more effectively.

Increased productivity opens up new markets and improves organisational decision-making.



Creative solutions

Therefore, creative solutions can have a multiplicity of positive effects on the Namibian economy, such as the investment opportunities provided by Starlink.

Apart from the economic, educational and additional benefits, Starlink's elegant arrivals promote social inclusion and community empowerment throughout Namibia.

No matter where you live, you can take advantage of online services, stay in touch with friends and family, and engage in the digital economy if you have access to high-speed internet.

If there isn't a tower crane satellite that will provide internet access in Okongo, you can still use your laptop to access your banking and other services.

Starlink can facilitate in reducing the digital gap and ensuring that no Namibian is left behind in the digital revolution.



Possible drawbacks

In markets where there are only two providers at the moment, Starlink could become a competitive threat and force those providers to improve their current offerings in order to stay ahead of the competition.

This choice would benefit all customers.

Starlink can have a number of adverse effects on staff members of current internet providers because they provide satellite internet service that generates high-speed internet.

Speeds tend to increase as Starlink enters the market, most likely as a result of Namibia's intensifying competition.

Be aware that there might be some issues when integrating Starlink into Namibia's current network infrastructure, especially in terms of dependability and interconnection.



Jobs

Additionally, we must acknowledge that Starlink will not require more employees due to technological advancements, and the two companies will be forced to reduce staff, which will result in unemployment.

As technology advances, many traditional jobs may become obsolete.

In particular, if Namibians are not sufficiently prepared for these changes, the introduction of new technologies may cause social disruption, widespread unemployment and human suffering.

It is important to remember that technological advancements can lead to high levels of inequality as more tasks are replaced by automation.

While this may save labour costs, it can also increase inequality and poverty because only skilled workers will be able to fill the available positions, widening the distributions.

Ensuring that technological advancements do not disadvantage the unskilled is a crucial concern.



Upskill Namibia for technology revolution

Namibia should upskill and train its people to be aware of the demands of technology as the rest of the world advances technologically.

The difficulties Namibia faces in terms of reskilling and upskilling, the infrastructure gap, and the need to upgrade our infrastructure in order to remain competitive and ensure that our youth and everyone else are employable by Starlink.

In conclusion, in order to better prepare people for the technological innovations and new developments that are reshaping our world, Namibia needs to implement better strategies that also highlight local content policies.