Rome, Mar. 23 (BNA): Negotiations on a potential contract between Elon Musk's satellite internet operator Starlink and the Italian government have stalled, Guido Crosetto, Italian Defence Minister said.

"It seems to me that everything has come to a standstill," Guido Crosetto said.

According to Reuters, Starlink is a dominant force in the sector with around 7,000 active low-orbit satellites and it has been offering its services in Italy since 2021. Sources said that  Rome was considering a five-year deal worth a total of 1.5 billion euros ($1.62 billion) with the company that is part of Musk's SpaceX group.

Andrea Stroppa, a representative for Musk in Italy, said it made sense for Italy and its European partners to create their own independent satellite infrastructure for low-orbit telecommunication, but Starlink could be the best solution for the short term.

ZH