Kazakh lawmakers have approved a bill allowing the use of Starlink satellite internet, developed by Elon Musk's SpaceX. After approval in the Majilis at two readings, the document was sent to the Senate for consideration. The purpose of this legislative initiative is to develop the field of communications and digitalization in Kazakhstan, as well as to create favorable conditions for attracting investment, El.kz reports.
The law establishes a special regulatory regime until 2026 for the introduction of technologies based on the use of non-geostationary satellite systems, such as Starlink and OneWeb. The determination of the legal and technical regimes for the pilot project will be entrusted to the Ministry of Digital Development and the National Security Committee. This will make it possible to provide access to the Internet to social facilities in remote settlements of the country.
Majilis deputy Ekaterina Smyshlyaeva stressed the importance of the bill for the legal regulation of the use of satellite Internet services, since there are other foreign companies on the market offering similar technologies.
In addition, it is planned to build fiber-optic communication lines (FOCL) along highways of republican and regional significance to improve access to the Internet.
The plans also include a commitment by telecom operators to provide broadcast messaging technology to inform the public instantly in the event of an emergency.