Starlink internet terminal
(CNS): A new licensing framework created by the utilities regulator, OfReg, has paved the way for companies such as Starlink, Amazon and Viasat to apply for and secure a licence to provide services within the Cayman Islands. Following a public consultation, the framework creates a clear and proportionate path for licensing satellite service providers and protecting consumer interests.
A release from OfReg said the decision recognises the importance of telecommunications solutions that do not rely solely on terrestrial infrastructure.
Prior to this decision, the satellite internet services that people had acquired were unlicensed. At one point, although residents were still able to buy them overseas, they were banned from sale on island until OfReg had produced a licensing regime. After more than a year, the Final Determination on the Framework for the Licensing of Satellite-Based Telecommunications Providers has now been published.
Recent cable and operator outages and the risk of natural disasters have highlighted the vulnerability of the Cayman Islands’ international connectivity. Satellite services can provide critical redundancy, strengthening national resilience and ensuring continuity of communication in emergencies.
Hazard Management Cayman Islands Director Danielle Coleman said that satellite offered a solution to these vulnerabilities. “Unlike other communications systems, satellite services can be established and operated without reliance on local ground-based infrastructure, allowing for fast deployment and operational continuity even in the event of widespread local damage.”
OfReg pointed out that introducing licensed providers to the local market will broaden consumer choice and enhance competition. It provides flexibility for different service models while ensuring fair and transparent regulation that balances innovation with consumer protection.
“Connectivity is a lifeline for the Cayman Islands,” said Ofreg Interim CEO Sonji Myles. “This determination ensures that we are not only keeping pace with global technological change but also putting the interests of Caymanians and residents at the heart of our decisions.
“By strengthening resilience, encouraging innovation, and safeguarding competition, we are building a stronger, more secure digital future for our Islands. Notwithstanding our progress here, there is urgent need for improvements to existing legislation that allows the Office to progress these consumer interest matters more expeditiously.”
The decision was made after the regulator weighed the national interest, public sentiment, objections and concerns of existing operators, international best practices, and the unique characteristics of satellite networks. The framework ensures proportionate licence conditions that promote resiliency, competition, and investment, while removing unnecessary barriers to the entry of new services and thus promoting consumer choice, the office stated in a release.
OfReg Spectrum Manager Richard Womersley said the framework is about more than just licensing satellite operators but creating a stronger, safer communications future for the Cayman Islands.
We have worked hard to balance global best practices with our local needs, so that new satellite technologies can be introduced in a way that improves choice for consumers, sets clear and fair rules for providers, and ensures the country is better protected against connectivity risks, ” he added.
