Starlink Should Drive Down Internet Costs in Turks and Caicos, Says Kenva Williams

The launch of Starlink should help reduce broadband costs and improve internet access across the Turks and Caicos Islands, according to Kenva Williams, Director General of the Telecommunications Commission.

WILLIAMS... “The cost of broadband in Turks and Caicos is very high.”

Williams spoke with NewslineTCI during the official launch of the satellite internet service at the Alexandra Resort in Grace Bay, on Thursday, August 27, 2026.

“The cost of broadband in Turks and Caicos is very high,” Williams said. “Our job is to bring it down tremendously, to where persons can afford it. I think introducing Starlink has enabled that.”

Starlink officially went live in the territory on August 27, 2026, after completing a regulatory process that began with its original licence application in 2024.

The service uses a network of low-Earth-orbit satellites to deliver internet access through a dedicated Starlink terminal. Unlike traditional broadband services, it does not depend entirely on local fibre-optic cables, utility poles or cellular towers.

Williams described Starlink as an “enabler” that will supplement, not replace, the terrestrial networks operated by existing telecommunications companies.

“The service they are going to bring is broadband,” he said. “The device can be placed on your rooftop, your car or your boat, but you will still need terrestrial services for your mobile handset, direct calls and the data you use on your phone.”

He said the service could be especially beneficial outside Providenciales, where terrestrial networks may not offer the same coverage and speeds available in the country’s main population centre.

Residents of North Caicos, Middle Caicos, South Caicos, Salt Cay and Grand Turk are expected to be among the principal users.

“We foresee persons in the family islands being among the initial uptake,” Williams said, adding that many of the territory’s existing Starlink users are already located in those communities.

Customers must purchase a terminal

Customers wishing to subscribe must first obtain a Starlink terminal, either directly from the company or through a third-party supplier.

Once they have the equipment, customers can visit Starlink’s website, create an account, choose a service package and enter the terminal’s unique identification number. The service is activated after payment.

“The first thing you have to do is buy the device,” Williams explained. “Then you go to the Starlink website, create an account, select the package you want and pay with your credit card.”

Plans announced ahead of the launch included a US$40 monthly residential package offering speeds of up to 100 megabits per second. Starlink Mini hardware was listed at US$299, while the larger V4 terminal was expected to cost US$399. Prices and availability may change as the local service develops.

Starlink’s arrival gives consumers another broadband option in a market long dominated by Flow and Digicel.

Williams said increased competition should encourage all providers to improve their prices, speeds and quality of service.

Local providers raise concerns

The launch has nevertheless caused concern among terrestrial telecommunications companies, which have invested heavily in local towers, fibre networks, antennas and other infrastructure.

Williams acknowledged that Starlink also carries significant infrastructure costs, but much of its investment is in satellites and other parts of a global network rather than facilities located within the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Local providers are concerned that the international satellite company could lower its prices to levels they would find difficult to match.

“Turks and Caicos is a drop in the bucket for them,” Williams said, referring to the size of the territory in relation to Starlink’s worldwide operations.

Starlink’s broader business model includes providing connectivity to homes, businesses, aircraft and vessels moving between countries and territories. Its network is therefore not dependent solely on revenue from customers in the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Williams said that difference could place local operators at a competitive disadvantage.

“They are concerned because of their expenses for terrestrial infrastructure and having to compete with a large global organisation,” he said. “How are they going to survive?”

Commission will monitor the market

The Telecommunications Commission intends to monitor Starlink and the wider market for evidence of unfair competition, Williams said.

“That is what we do as regulator, we monitor,” he said.

The Director General suggested the government may also need to consider concessions for terrestrial providers, including reductions or waivers on duties charged on imported antennas and core network equipment.

Such measures could help existing companies continue investing in their networks while facing competition from a satellite operator that does not require the same level of ground-based infrastructure in the territory.

“We need them to survive and to be able to provide consistent services to us,” Williams said.

He noted that satellite broadband has its own limitations. Starlink requires properly installed equipment with a clear view of the sky, and service quality can be affected by physical obstructions, installation conditions and severe weather.

Terrestrial networks will therefore remain an essential part of the territory’s communications system.

Launch followed regulatory changes

Starlink’s arrival followed more than a year of regulatory work by the government and the Telecommunications Commission.

The company initially applied in 2024 for an internet service provider licence. That application was reconsidered while the territory developed a licensing framework specifically for non-geostationary satellite operators.

Following public consultation, the Commission approved Starlink Caribbean LLC’s satellite network, service and spectrum licences in July 2026.

The licences allow the company to provide internet service through satellite terminals operating on land and aboard maritime and aerial platforms throughout the territory.

Williams said Starlink’s greatest contribution could be its ability to reach communities where expanding a terrestrial network is difficult or uneconomical.

“We have to give recognition to that ability to provide services where the terrestrial network can’t,” he said.

Its arrival is also expected to strengthen the territory’s communications resilience during hurricanes and other emergencies, when damage to utility poles, cables and cellular towers can cause prolonged outages.

For Williams, however, affordability remains one of the principal objectives.

Introducing another provider should give consumers greater choice while placing pressure on every operator to offer better value.

“The idea is to bring the cost of broadband down tremendously,” he said. “Starlink has enabled that.”