Starlink assigns IP addresses to users in Iraq

Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – Starlink has officially changed its network routing to issue local Iraqi IP addresses to customers that connect from within Iraq. This technological shift took place after SpaceX signed a licensing deal with Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission (CMC), the country’s regulatory agency that oversees and develops media, broadcasting, and telecommunications sectors. The regulatory structure allows Starlink to operate legally throughout the country. Earlier, users in the region connected to the satellite network via European networks and were issued Bulgarian IP addresses. Starlink data from Iraq is now routed through particular connections, reducing the need for remote international points of entry. By avoiding the traditional European routing pathways, local customers should see much lower latency and faster overall connection rates. The Iraqi government approved earlier Starlink’s operating license, allowing it to deliver world-leading internet services to Iraqi citizens. As the decision paves the way for Elon Musk’s satellite network to enter the Iraqi market, it also supports the country’s digital transformation. Starlink is a satellite internet group managed by Starlink Services, LLC, an international telecommunications service and fully owned subsidiary of the US aerospace corporation SpaceX. As part of the Iraqi government’s digital transformation, the Iraqi government is pushing major technology companies, notably those located in the United States, to operate in Iraq and collaborate with the Iraqi private sector.