Shafaq News..Earthlink backs Starlink for remote internet access in Iraq

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Starlink can help bring internet access to remote areas of
Iraq, Earthlink said on Saturday.

Speaking at the eighth Baghdad International Dialogue
Conference, Alaa Jassim stated fiber-optic networks now cover most Iraqi
provinces, with work delayed in Mosul, Al-Anbar, and Wasit due to difficulties
securing approvals. He said political factors had also prevented network
expansion in some areas.

Earthlink previously faced significant obstacles in
obtaining permits to lay fiber-optic cables, but cooperation with the
government has improved, with communities increasingly requesting access to the
service. Meetings with the Communications Ministry are now held regularly to
address outstanding issues, according to Jassim.

Read more: Digital leap, analog floor: Iraq traverses the AI divide

“The satellite internet service could provide connectivity
to remote areas, but he warned that unauthorized use should be addressed
through formal regulation.”

Internet quality had improved with the expansion of
fiber-optic networks, helping support the growth of e-commerce. Iraq currently
ranks at a mid-level in digital development and is seeking to compete with more
advanced countries. Jassim added that technological development depends less on
heavy spending than on adequate infrastructure, investing in
telecommunications.

Read more: Snail-speed service, high costs, and digital divide