Starlink Satellite Internet Has Over 100,000 Users in Iran

The head of the Internet Committee in the Iranian E-Commerce Association announced that the number of satellite internet users, particularly Starlink, has now exceeded 100,000 in the country. According to ILNA news agency on Tuesday, January 7, quoting Pouya Pirhosseinloo, head of the Internet and Infrastructure Commission in the E-Commerce Association, the use of satellite internet in Iran has increased twentyfold in just 2024. The main advantages of satellite internet are 'unfiltered free access' and 'high speed,' features that are not easily accessible in Iran, a country that ranks low on the 'internet freedom index.' Mr. Pirhosseinloo stated that this new statistic is based on 'sampling of domestic traffic.' He said, 'More than 30,000 unique users are using satellite internet, and therefore, the total number of users of satellite internet is likely over 100,000, indicating that we will see further growth in the use of this technology in the country in the future.' However, according to this expert, using Starlink is 'the most expensive method of accessing the internet, which destroys the communication economy, drains hundreds of millions of dollars in currency from the country, and destroys people's hope for any improvement in internet services from within the country.' How much does Starlink internet cost in Iran, and is it worth it? According to Radio Farda's research, the cost of illegal Starlink in Iran is still higher than the official fiber optic price, but the advantage of using unfiltered internet and bypassing disruptions has gradually helped this service find its customers. Forbes magazine reported last December that despite the ban on using Starlink satellite internet in Iran, it is estimated that around 20,000 people are currently using this service. In the fall of 1401 (2022), with the onset of a new wave of widespread and deliberate internet filtering by the government in response to the nationwide 'Women, Life, Freedom' protests following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody, the topic of satellite internet, specifically Starlink, suddenly became widespread in cyberspace and gave increasing hope to users inside Iran. In response to the restrictions imposed by the government on its dissenting users, the U.S. government lifted some restrictions on the export of internet services to Iran, allowing SpaceX to provide satellite internet services for its Starlink devices in Iran. The increase in Starlink usage within Iran comes as the government has been trying for at least months to remove Iran from satellite internet coverage through the International Telecommunication Union.