Poland slams Musk's Starlink over European roaming exclusion

The Polish government denounced Wednesday its exclusion from new European roaming rules for internet access via Elon Musk's Starlink service, the latest flare-up of tensions between the two since war erupted in neighbouring Ukraine.

The decision means Polish subscribers will have to submit passports each time they use the service outside Poland, and also sign up for more expensive premium plans.

Starlink did not explain why Poland was being excluded from its Europe roaming region in the policy update coming into effect from August 17.

"I do not accept that a major global technology company should treat Poles worse than other Europeans," the country's Digital Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski posted on X -- also owned by Musk's SpaceX.

"I have contacted SpaceX demanding the urgent restoration of equal terms for the company's Polish customers," he said, adding: "I do not accept the answer that "it simply has to be this way'."

Poland, one of Ukraine's most vocal allies since Russia's invasion more than four years ago, has spent millions to provide Starlink terminals and subscriptions to Ukrainian forces.

It was not clear if the new rules would impact Ukraine subscriptions.

Last year, Poland's top diplomat lashed out at Musk over worries that Starlink service in Ukraine could be cut as part of US pressure on Kyiv to sign a peace deal with Moscow.

"The ethics of threatening the victim of aggression apart, if SpaceX proves to be an unreliable provider we will be forced to look for other suppliers," Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski posted at the time, citing Poland's financial contribution.

In a withering response, Musk posted: "Be quiet, small man. You pay a tiny fraction of the cost. And there is no substitute for Starlink."

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