In the details: Starlink’s Lebanon launch hit by first legal challenge — will it overcome the appeal?

Report by Maroun Nassif, English adaptation by Karine Keuchkerian

On September 11, 2025, the Lebanese Cabinet granted Starlink a license to provide internet services across Lebanon through satellites operated by SpaceX.

Since then, objections to the license have increased—sometimes due to potential negative impacts on existing internet providers in Lebanon, and sometimes because of concerns over why the Ministry of Telecommunications negotiated exclusively with Starlink, without involving other competing satellite internet companies or consulting the regulatory authority.

These objections culminated recently with the filing of the first appeal to the State Shura Council to annul the “Starlink Lebanon” license decree. “Starlink Lebanon” is the local branch of the global Starlink company, owned by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

The appeal against the Starlink decree was filed by Cable One and Terranet. In a statement to lawyer Walid el-Moghrabi, representing both companies, the appeal focuses on the following points:

First, the government issued the Starlink license by decree, while the matter should have been submitted to parliament and approved by law, in accordance with the constitution, which requires that the exploitation of any public-interest service be authorized by law.

Second, the uneven competition between Starlink and other internet providers in Lebanon. Local companies cannot purchase international bandwidth directly from global companies—they are legally required to buy it through the Lebanese state via the Ministry of Telecommunications—while Starlink obtains international bandwidth directly from its satellites. 

This undermines fair competition and deprives the treasury of revenue it would otherwise receive from selling international bandwidth.

Third, Starlink does not store communications data in Lebanon but in Qatar, raising questions about how Lebanese security agencies can monitor communications to detect crimes under the legal interception law.

The appeal by the two companies against the Starlink decree was submitted to the State Shura Council on November 5. The Lebanese state, represented by the Ministry of Telecommunications, has 15 days to respond. 

Afterward, the State Shura Council will refer the case to one of its rapporteurs to decide whether to suspend the execution of the decree.

Will the State Shura Council put an end to this case and prevent Starlink from competing with the Lebanese state?