Musk's Starlink faces license revocation in Brazil amidst regulatory standoff
What's the story
Brazil's telecommunications regulator, Anatel, is considering sanctions against Elon Musk's satellite internet provider, Starlink.
The potential punitive measures are due to Starlink's non-compliance with Brazilian regulations.
A senior official from the regulatory body has indicated that this could lead to the revocation of Starlink's operating license in Brazil, as reported by Reuters.
Regulatory defiance
Starlink defies order to shut down X messaging platform
Anatel Commissioner Artur Coimbra has revealed that the regulator is currently reviewing all Brazilian telecom operators.
The aim is to ensure their compliance with a Supreme Court judge's directive to cease operations of the X messaging platform.
However, Starlink stands out as the only company that has openly declared its refusal to adhere to Judge Alexandre de Moraes's ruling.
Suspension upheld
Supreme Court upholds suspension of X in Brazil
The decision to suspend X, previously known as Twitter, was recently affirmed by a unanimous vote from a Supreme Court panel.
This action was taken after X defied a court order, resulting in over 20 million users losing access to the platform.
The suspension was due to X's failure to appoint a local legal representative as mandated by Brazilian law and an earlier court order.
Compliance refusal
Starlink refuses to comply until assets are unfrozen
Starlink has stated that it will not remove X from its service until a freeze on its Brazilian bank accounts is lifted.
This statement comes after Judge de Moraes ruled that the company's accounts would remain frozen due to X's failure to pay fines for not submitting required documents.
Despite the ongoing dispute, reports suggest that X remains accessible via Starlink's service in Brazil.
Fine collection
Brazilian court seeks to collect $3 million in unpaid fines
Judge de Moraes has prohibited Starlink from conducting Brazilian transactions while the court attempts to recover $3 million in unpaid fines from X.
The satellite-based internet service is a subsidiary of SpaceX, which is also partially owned by Musk.
According to Poder360, a court order has given internet providers and app stores five days to implement measures that block access to X in Brazil.