Starlink Launches in Yemen Amid Houthi Threats and High Costs, Boosting Internet Access for Some Freelancers and Students

Houthis have launched a campaign warning people against using Starlink and threaten legal action against anyone found in possession of the devices. Despite these threats, the service has spread to remote areas, benefiting users like Omer Banabelah, a mobile app developer whose home village in Hadramout’s countryside previously had no phone or internet access.

Banabelah can now reply to client messages from anywhere, avoiding the isolation he faced before Starlink.

Mohammed Helmi, a video editor and motion graphics designer juggling projects for clients in Yemen, Saudi Arabia and the United States, relies on the fast connections at the hub. "In the past, when I downloaded files to my laptop, it would stop as soon as my data ran out.

I had to buy another gigabyte and start the download all over again," said Helmi, a young man with a thin moustache, speaking at the cafe.

In Taiz, Raja al-Dubae, a school director, has seen her institution expand online education through Starlink. Her school began offering online classes based on the Yemeni curriculum to students living abroad in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and China in 2023, starting with 50 students. Teachers initially connected through local networks, but faced frequent disruptions.

"Teachers were often disconnected from their students, and by the time the internet stabilised, the next class had already begun, leaving them frustrated and unable to finish their lessons," said al-Dubae. Since installing Starlink, the number of students has climbed to more than 200. "With Starlink, the internet is very fast and reaches every corner of the school," she said.