Starlink use in Myanmar has dropped sharply since late September, Apnic estimates show, after AFP footage revealed Starlink dishes at scam hubs. SpaceX says it deactivated more than 2,500 receivers near suspected scam sites, and a U.S. congressional probe into the matter is ongoing. Satellite imagery shows damage to about 100 buildings at the KK Park complex following junta raids, though much of the site remains intact. The developments raise broader questions about satellite internet oversight in conflict zones.
Starlink Use in Myanmar Plummets After Dishes Found at Scam Centres; SpaceX Deactivates 2,500+ Terminals
Starlink use in Myanmar has dropped sharply since late September, Apnic estimates show, after AFP footage revealed Starlink dishes at scam hubs. SpaceX says it deactivated more than 2,500 receivers near suspected scam sites, and a U.S. congressional probe into the matter is ongoing. Satellite imagery shows damage to about 100 buildings at the KK Park complex following junta raids, though much of the site remains intact. The developments raise broader questions about satellite internet oversight in conflict zones.
08:14 PM, 11/13/2025Technology
Starlink usage in Myanmar falls sharply after AFP investigation
Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service has seen nationwide use collapse since late September, according to estimates from regional internet registry Apnic, after an AFP probe documented Starlink terminals at multiple scam centres in Myanmar.
Apnic data shows that as many as 14% of Myanmar's internet users connected via Starlink during the summer, making it the country's most-used provider for a period. That share dropped to under 7% by November 10, and Starlink fell from the top provider position (first reached on June 26, 2025) to fourth place by November 9.
Drone footage published by AFP in mid-October captured long rows of Starlink dishes on the roofs of the KK Park complex near the Thailand border. Soon after the footage surfaced, Starlink's parent company, SpaceX, said it had deactivated more than 2,500 receivers "in the vicinity of suspected 'scam centres'" in Myanmar.
Starlink is also the subject of a U.S. congressional probe — opened in late July — into its role in providing internet access to facilities accused of running widely targeted scams, including romance and commercial fraud that have victimised people around the world.
KK Park raids and site damage
Since mid-October, Myanmar's military junta has conducted high-profile raids on the KK Park complex. AFP analysis of satellite imagery this week found damage and demolition affecting about 100 buildings at the site, though roughly three-quarters of the complex's surface area still appeared intact from above as of Sunday.
Reports indicate that most scam centres are operated by Chinese criminal groups working with Myanmar militias. Experts say the junta largely turns a blind eye to these networks while relying on allied militias to exert control over border areas on its behalf.
Context and implications
The rapid shift in Starlink usage highlights how satellite internet can be quickly adopted and then curtailed in response to reputational, legal and operational pressure. The case raises broader questions about how satellite services are monitored, how providers verify end users, and the responsibilities of private companies operating in conflict-affected countries.
Sources: Apnic usage estimates and AFP reporting.
Background: Myanmar has been devastated by ongoing civil war since the military coup in February 2021.