Sam Turer

Starlink, Middle East

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Welcome Iraq! Thank you to @AliFalihAlzaidy and the Communications and Media Commission for their hard work in making this happen.

Looking forward to expanding connectivity in the birthplace of civilization.

[Starlink @Starlink]

Starlink's high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Iraq! 🛰️🇮🇶❤️ → https://t.co/ZyTrTJazEW

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Honored to meet Prime Minister @AliFalihAlzaidy during his visit to the US. It was great to receive his support for @Starlink’s entry into Iraq!

[المكتب الإعلامي لرئيس الوزراء 🇮🇶 @IraqiPMO]

Prime Minister @AliFalihAlzaidy received at his residence in Washington, D.C., the Chief Executive Officer of @Starlink, whose company is preparing to launch operations in Iraq following its licensing by the Communications and Media Commission (CMC).

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

It was a pleasure meeting Ambassador Al Rahbi to discuss Oman and @Starlink’s growth in the Sultanate. I look forward to further expanding our cooperation.

[سفارة سلطنة عُمان واشنطن | OMAN EMBASSY WASHINGTON @OmanEmbassyUSA]

#WashingtonDC
H.E. Ambassador Talal bin Suleiman Al Rahbi met with Mr. Sam Torrer, Starlink’s Middle East Operations Manager at SpaceX, to review the company’s services in the Sultanate of Oman and discuss its future plans to expand satellite communications services, as well as opportunities to increase its investments in this sector.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

I love the incredible people of SpaceX beyond words

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Welcome to the family, Kuwait! A huge thank you to our partners at CITRA for making this happen.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Starlink now available in Kuwait!

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Thank you to Prime Minister Sudani for meeting with me again. It was great to discuss the progress @Starlink has made on bringing our service to Iraq.

Looking forward to continuing to work with the Iraqi government to activate Starlink in Iraq!

[المكتب الإعلامي لرئيس الوزراء 🇮🇶 @IraqiPMO]

Prime Minister @Mohamedshia met a delegation from @SpaceX (Starlink), the U.S. company specializing in network, information, and communications technologies. The meeting was attended by the U.S. Chargé d’Affaires to Iraq, Mr. Joshua Harris.

The discussions addressed the final procedures related to granting satellite internet licenses, including the license designated for SpaceX, as well as avenues for strengthening cooperation in the telecommunications sector, the services provided by the company, and its prospective coverage areas.

The Prime Minister affirmed that Iraq has made significant progress in creating an environment capable of attracting leading global companies and meeting all operational requirements, including access to satellite internet systems essential for sustaining their activities. He underscored the government’s determination to keep pace with global advancements in information and communications technology and the broader digital transformation, through enhanced cooperation with SpaceX and its entry into the Iraqi market, which today presents substantial and promising investment opportunities.

Prime Minister Al-Sudani emphasized that the telecommunications sector in Iraq is governed by clear national priorities, foremost among them preserving Iraq’s technological and information sovereignty, investing in the expertise of young Iraqi professionals, building their capacities, and ultimately entrusting them with operational responsibilities.

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Happy to bring @Starlink service to Israel; our sixth country in the Middle East!

[Starlink @Starlink]

Starlink's high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Israel! 🛰️🇮🇱❤️ → https://t.co/IFhK9iRe0z

[Lauren Dreyer @LaurenDreyer]

Pleased to welcome another country to the growing list of where Starlink is available to purchase.

We are also making excellent progress with the authorities in Palestine, Lebanon, and elsewhere and look forward to bringing Starlink to these markets soon.  

Our goal is to make high speed connectivity available to everyone so they can live, work, play, and learn no matter where they are located.

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

A huge thank you to the CRA and everyone else in Qatar who helped to make this happen!

Starlink’s relationship with Qatar Airways highlights one of the many ways our service changes the world.

Lots of progress in the region with more to come.

[Elon Musk @elonmusk]

Starlink is now available in Qatar! 🇶🇦

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Thank you, Minister Bisat. Looking forward to continuing our conversations.

[Amer Bisat @abisat]

Starlink MENA director visited me today. Launching #Starlink operations in #Lebanon will provide the private sector with additional reliable and efficient internet services. Consistent with our Ease of Doing Business efforts, I’ve committed to helping them set up their operations in Lebanon effectively and rapidly.

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

It was great to meet Minister Hage and the broader MOT team. Looking forward to continuing to work closely on Starlink’s entry into Lebanon!

[MOT @MOT_LB]

استكمالًا للجهود المبذولة لانضمام لبنان إلى شبكة الدول التي تتوافر فيها خدمات "ستارلينك"، اجتمع وزير الاتّصالات بالمدير العالمي لترخيص خدمات الشركة وتطويرها SAM TURER وبحث في كيفية استفادة لبنان من خدمات الشركة.
https://t.co/VZXoURT519

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Thank you, President Aoun, for hosting me today.

It was great talking with you about the benefits of Lebanon authorizing Starlink!

[Lebanese Presidency @LBpresidency]

الرئيس عون اطّلع من المدير العالمي لترخيص وتطوير Starlink، السيد Sam Turner، على مسار المشاورات التي تُجريها الشركة مع وزارة الاتصالات اللبنانية بهدف ضمّ لبنان إلى شبكة الدول الـ136 التي تتوافر فيها ه��ه الخدمة. وقد عرض Turner أبرز فوائد Starlink في مجال تعزيز خدمة الإنترنت عبر الأقمار الصناعية، بما ينعكس إيجابًا على عمل المؤسسات الصناعية والتجارية والمصرفية والتربوية، بالإضافة إلى الإدارات والمؤسسات الرسمية.

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

It was my pleasure to meet Prime Minister Al Sudani today to talk about Starlink’s market entry in Iraq.

Starlink can provide critical connectivity to important hospitals, schools, and businesses.

I look forward to continuing to work with the Iraqi government.

[المكتب الإعلامي لرئيس الوزراء 🇮🇶 @IraqiPMO]

Prime Minister @mohamedshia met a delegation from the U.S. company @Starlink, which specializes in network, information, and communications technology. The meeting included a review of potential cooperation in the communications sector, the services offered by the company, and its coverage areas.

During the meeting, Prime Minister Al-Sudani emphasized that Iraq now presents numerous promising investment opportunities amid rapid growth and expanding urban and service development. He noted the importance of the strategic relationship with the United States under the Strategic Framework Agreement and various bilateral memorandums of understanding across economic, scientific, and developmental sectors.

The Prime Minister instructed the relevant authorities to explore ways to facilitate SpaceX (Starlink) operations and expedite the necessary procedures. He welcomed major technology companies, especially American ones, to operate in Iraq and collaborate with the Iraqi private sector, in line with the government’s digital transformation vision.

[Juan David Vélez @JuanDaVelez]

Sint Maarten became our 138th market activated and is now providing Starlink high-speed internet service.
Very happy to continue supporting the Caribbean to close the digital divide, that will ultimately bring economic opportunities, telemedicine, online education, reliable connectivity during hurricane season and much more.

Starlink is now available in Sint Maarten! 🛰️ 💙

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

A huge thank you to everyone in Bahrain that made this happen! Bahrain was the first country in the region to license Starlink in 2022 and I am thrilled for us to activate service.

Bahrain may be the smallest ME country, but this activation is huge!

[Starlink @Starlink]

Starlink's high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Bahrain! 🛰️🇧🇭❤️ → https://t.co/nsdNafGs3l

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Jordan was the first market I licensed when I joined market access. It has been a privilege to work with the team at the TRC to activate service— Starlink will be great for Jordan, and I can’t wait for what is next!

[Starlink @Starlink]

Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Jordan! 🛰️🇯🇴❤️ → https://t.co/i5IUj2EtDA

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Thrilled for Oman to come online- third in the region! Huge thanks to all of the teams that made this happen.

[Starlink @Starlink]

Starlink’s high-speed, low-latency internet is now available in Oman! 🛰️🇴🇲❤️ → https://t.co/1DKeh0sxSs

[Doug Madory (also on Bluesky) @DougMadory]

Last night, @starlink changed the 36 entries in their geoip file for service in Yemen from Houthi-controlled Sana'a to rebel-controlled Aden:

[Katherine Boyle @KTmBoyle]

It is impossible to overstate what happened on the shores of Texas, or what’s happened for two decades in El Segundo, the little industrial town south of Los Angeles where SpaceX was born. In its infancy, the country was reeling from horror. Only months before SpaceX’s inception in March 2002, terrorists had flown commercial jets into two crown jewels of New York City engineering, murdering thousands. 

While fire and ash were still on our minds and on our screens, a quirky man on the other coast was talking about rocket tests and making humans multiplanetary—as though he wasn’t watching the news along with the rest of us, but instead focused on the future.

His dreams should have died the year after, when we watched more horror as the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated upon reentering Earth’s atmosphere over Texas, killing seven astronauts and hastening the end of the shuttle program for good. 

It also could have ended America’s long-held obsession with reaching the stars. But 22 years later, that is not our fate. Failed rocket after failed rocket, critic after critic led to bigger and more calculated risks that in turn made @SpaceX the beacon for the best engineering minds in America—and the world.

[Sam Turer @SamTurer]

Incredibly proud that @Starlink is now available in Yemen. Thank you to the hard work of many internal teams.

The first of many countries in the Middle East to get Starlink!

[Starlink @Starlink]

Starlink is now available in Yemen! 🛰️🇾🇪❤️ → https://t.co/Ux8iivN1XE