Starlink faces high fees abroad while competitors operate freely in the US, SpaceX urges action
SpaceX has urged the US government to address trade barriers that hinder its Starlink satellite communications service in foreign markets.
According to Reuters, the company argues that international competitors do not face similar import costs in the US.
In a letter to the US Trade Representative's Office dated Tuesday, SpaceX highlighted the costs it incurs due to spectrum access fees, import duties, and other regulatory charges imposed by foreign governments, which “artificially” inflate operating costs abroad.
Starlink operates in over 120 markets worldwide, but in some countries, SpaceX must coordinate spectrum sharing with domestic satellite operators before activating service.
The company described these requirements as “protectionist non-tariff trade barriers.”
“These anti-competitive policies have been used by foreign operators to block or slow SpaceX from providing a better quality and lower cost service to customers in those countries,” said Matt Dunn, SpaceX's senior director for global government affairs.
SpaceX's appeal comes amid broader tensions involving trade barriers for American companies.
Tesla, also led by Elon Musk , recently warned that it and other major American exporters face exposure to retaliatory tariffs.
The company pointed to aggressive tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump on goods from countries like Canada, China, and the EU.
Musk, a close ally of Trump, has been leading the White House effort to reduce the size of the federal government as head of the Department of Government Efficiency.
In related developments, Ontario recently canceled a $100m contract with Starlink in response to US tariffs on Canadian goods, as reported by The Verge.
Additionally, Musk's political interventions are complicating Starlink's global expansion.
His involvement in the Trump administration and controversial stance on South African policies are causing regulatory challenges for Starlink's launch in South Africa, according to Business Insider.
