Since August 13, Starlink satellite Internet connection has officially started operating in Kazakhstan. Residents of the country can now order equipment through the company's official website, vc.ru reports.

The launch was preceded by the signing of an agreement in June of this year between the Ministry of Digital Development of Kazakhstan and SpaceX on compliance with information security and communications requirements. Negotiations to reach agreements were conducted throughout the year.

To connect to the satellite network, Kazakhstanis have two equipment options: a standard kit costing 201 thousand tenge and a Mini kit for 104 thousand tenge. There are two tariff plans: "Residential" with a monthly fee of 31 thousand tenge and "Residential Lite" - 23 thousand tenge per month.

The history of the implementation of the technology in the republic began in 2021 with negotiations between the authorities of Kazakhstan and SpaceX. Since 2023, the connection has been operating in pilot mode in rural schools. By July 2024, 1731 educational institutions had already been connected to the system.

The road to commercial launch has been bumpy. In December 2024, several ministries and agencies proposed banning the import of satellite communication devices, citing threats to national security. However, the project was withdrawn after criticism on the “Open Government” portal.

The head of the Ministry of Digital Development, Zhaslan Madiyev, noted that the lengthy negotiations were aimed at bringing the positions of the company and state regulators closer together on issues of security and compliance with local legislation.