Saba News News and Information from Saba Island, Dutch Caribbean
The Authority for Digital Infrastructure (RDI) instructed Starlink in July 2024 to cease offering satellite services on Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba, as the company did not possess the required concession. Shortly thereafter, Starlink submitted a concession application. Recently, the RDI rejected this application because the company did not meet one of the specified conditions.
An important condition is that a company must be locally registered in the trade registry of the Chamber of Commerce for Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba (BES). As the company has not yet fulfilled this condition, the RDI has rejected the concession application. Starlink may reapply for a concession once all the conditions are met.
Without a concession, Starlink is not permitted to provide internet services to individuals and businesses on Bonaire, St. Eustatius, and Saba. Exceptions apply for foreign ships and aircrafts, and emergency teams appointed by the government in cases of calamities such as hurricanes.
RDI
We all know why this application was rejected: to protect the monopoly that Satel has on providing internet services to Saba. And I understand that. With a customer base as small as ours there is not economic room for two or more internet providers to still make a profit. But technology changes quickly, and when a service as ‘personal’ as adequate internet speeds (think of your emotions as your movie freezes with a spinning buffering sign, (yes, I realize that these are very ‘first world problems’, but isn’t that what we are trying to be: a ‘first world country’?)), can be improved by an existing alternative provider, to deliberately deny your citizens that benefit, not only detracts from their perceived quality of life, it also identifies Satel and the government officials who made this decision as the cause of those detractions. A comment to an earlier news item on this topic suggested that Satel access the satellite network themselves and then use their existing infrastructure to provide this enhanced internet service to their customers. That sounds like a win for everyone. One final point, the ‘exception for foreign ships and aircraft’ could lead to the ludicrous scenario where a luxury yacht docked at the Black Rocks harbor can use satellite internet but the customs building cannot. How frustrating for the well-heeled tourists that we are trying to attract. The tide of technological advancement is ever rising. I would ask our elected (just a reminder) government officials to remember that ‘adaptation’ is the key to longevity.