Bloomberg reported on the 13th (local time) that SpaceX, led by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, is providing free Starlink satellite service to Iran, where anti-government protests have intensified and the internet has been completely shut down. Anyone in Iran with a receiver can access the service without expense.
Ahmad Amadian, executive director of the U.S. group Holistic Resilience, which supports internet access in Iran, told Bloomberg that day that SpaceX has waived Starlink subscription fees in Iran.
Amadian estimated that although Starlink receivers are banned in Iran, there are currently more than 50,000 receivers in the country. However, the U.S. nonprofit Meydan Group, which opposes internet censorship, said the Iranian military is jamming Starlink signals and tracking Starlink users.
According to NetBlocks, a group that tracks internet connectivity, a nationwide internet shutdown in Iran has continued for a fifth day. The White House said the previous day that U.S. President Donald Trump spoke by phone on the 11th with Musk about ways to use Starlink to support Iran's anti-government protesters.
Musk provided internet communications to Ukraine after Russia's invasion. Starlink also decided to provide free broadband service to Venezuela through Feb. 3 immediately after sanctions.