The GSMA launched its new Satellite Regulatory Playbook on June 24, 2026, a step-by-step guide to help governments write clear rules for satellite internet services like Starlink before the technology grows beyond the reach of existing laws.
The guide was developed to address a regulatory grey area: satellite broadband services that connect directly to end users without going through a mobile network operator, where most existing rules simply do not apply. The Playbook was developed in collaboration with global advisory firm Access Partnership. Satellite internet is no longer a future concern for African governments. It is already here. Orange has partnered with Eutelsat to deploy satellite connectivity in Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
MTN also signed its own deal with Eutelsat for Côte d’Ivoire, after an earlier partnership between its infrastructure arm Bayobab and the OneWeb satellite constellation. MTN Zambia completed Africa’s first Direct-to-Cell technology trials in March, working with Starlink under the supervision of Zambia’s telecommunications regulator.
That trial is exactly the kind of situation the GSMA’s new Playbook is designed to address. For Nigeria, where Starlink has been operating since 2023 and demand for fast internet remains high, having clear rules in place for satellite operators is becoming more urgent.
The Playbook identifies eight regulatory pillars that policymakers should follow: local establishment requirements, national security, consumer protection, infrastructure, terminal deployment, taxation, emergency services, and law enforcement.
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These pillars cover everything from how satellite companies must register locally, to how authorities can access data when needed for security or criminal investigations, to how users should be protected if services fail.
The GSMA stressed that the Playbook does not prescribe a single model for all countries. Instead, it gives regulators a flexible framework they can adapt to their own national priorities, while reducing fragmentation and encouraging greater international alignment. Michaela Angonius, Head of Policy and Regulation at the GSMA, said the goal is regulation that works for everyone, not just one type of network.
“Connectivity is not a choice between terrestrial and satellite networks. Meeting the needs of citizens, businesses and governments requires a diverse and complementary connectivity ecosystem. Regulation should therefore be technology-neutral and focused on delivering consistent outcomes for consumers and society, regardless of how services are provided,” she said.
A key message running through the Playbook is that satellite internet is not meant to replace mobile networks. The GSMA says no single connectivity technology can meet all of society’s long-term communications needs, and that resilient digital societies require mobile, fixed and satellite networks working together.
The guidance is built around five core principles: transparency, regulatory parity, harmonisation, collaboration and balanced innovation. Together, these are meant to support regulatory certainty, encourage investment, strengthen consumer trust and promote fair competition.
For Nigerian regulators at the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the GSMA’s Playbook arrives at a useful time.
As more Nigerians subscribe to satellite internet and as direct-to-device technology gets closer to mainstream use, having a regulatory framework in place before problems emerge will be far easier than trying to fix gaps after the fact. The document is available in full from the GSMA website.
