Unclear communication by the Office of the Regulator (OOTR) and local media left the public confused about what Starlink is and how it could be used as it entered Samoa, says a report from the Australian National University’s Department of Pacific Affairs.

Starlink, developed by SpaceX, is a satellite internet service that offers high-speed, low-latency broadband internet in remote and underserved areas around the world. 

The report explains that changes in OOTR policy, combined with high public interest and intense media coverage, made it difficult for people to understand the rules and what Starlink was allowed to be used for.

According to the report, people would have benefited from clear and up-to-date information explaining what Starlink is and what was permitted. Instead, many Samoans were unsure about the legality of actions such as asking relatives overseas to send Starlink equipment into the country. The lack of clarity may have caused problems, with some people potentially fined for using or bringing in a Starlink terminal, while others may have paid more than necessary or missed the chance to get a terminal when it may have been allowed.

The report highlights a period of strong public interest in internet access in Samoa due to the arrival of new technology. Findings suggest the OOTR and media could have done more to provide clear, regular, and helpful information to the public.

In January 2025, Starlink was licensed to provide internet services in Samoa, following a year of media attention and public interest around government regulation. The report examines Samoan media coverage before the licence was issued to assess how well policy changes were communicated, finding that communication could have been more effective.

A media search found 27 relevant items from the Samoa Observer and four from Talamua, but no relevant items in Newsline Samoa or Savali. Most Samoa Observer items were news articles, with some editorials and letters to the editor. Talamua published mainly news articles and one public notice from the OOTR. Almost all coverage focused on government regulation of Starlink, with only two articles mainly discussing internet pricing and mentioning Starlink briefly. No media items mentioned other satellite providers. Public interest was high, with many stories appearing on the front page or within the first three pages of the Samoa Observer.

From January 2024 to January 2025, internet access in Samoa was a major issue. Starlink was banned in January 2024 and approved in January 2025. In January 2024, the OOTR ordered users to stop using Starlink and surrender equipment or face penalties, citing safety and security concerns. This order showed Starlink was already being used in Samoa.

In March 2024, media reported that cabinet had approved Starlink, but the OOTR clarified that approval applied only to schools and health centres. Media reports continued to explain that Starlink was not open to everyone and that imports of Starlink equipment were banned. In May 2024, articles reported fines for unregistered use and planned confiscations at the border.

In June 2024, the public was told Starlink kits could be imported. However, in August 2024, Starlink announced it would stop services in Samoa due to regulatory issues. Shortly after, it was reported that registered users could continue using the service under an interim arrangement. Media coverage continued as negotiations between the OOTR and Starlink progressed, leading to cabinet approval in January 2025.

“Another situation that may have created confusion,” the report states, “was when the Samoa Observer reported on 12 April that a Samoan company was ‘to partner with SpaceX’s Starlink satellite services’.” Although Talamua provided more detail in the same week, “it was not until January 2025 that Samoa Observer readers learnt that the company mentioned in April 2024 would work on the government connectivity project, rather than providing consumer services.”

The report, Starlink’s Entry into Samoa, was written by Amanda H.A. Watson, Fiafaitupe Tuiloma-Lafaele, Ioana Chan Mow, and Aleksandar Deejay.