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Elon Musk’s Starlink might commence operations in India within the next two months after receiving its licence last week.
Starlink’s kit, which includes a satellite dish and Wi-Fi router, is likely to be at about Rs 33,000.
Even as Elon Musk-owned Starlink has received a licence for satellite communication (satcom) services in India, speculations are rife about its prices in the country. According to the latest report by Business Standard citing sources, Starlink is expected to launch its services at monthly subscription charges between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,200. Its kit, which includes a satellite dish and a Wi-Fi router, is also likely to be at about Rs 33,000.
This is in contrast with the recent reports that indicated that Starlink is expected to debut in India with promotional unlimited data plans priced below $10 per month – nearly Rs 850. Earlier estimates had suggested Rs 3,000-Rs 7,000 per month.
Also Read: Elon Musk’s Starlink Gets Licence In India
These are the speculations, and the exact official prices are yet to be known.
According to the BS report, Starlink has so far prices its services at two-three times of traditional telcos in both high-income countries like the US and developing markets like Kenya or Nigeria.
“The company doesn’t have much gain by dropping the price to attract more customers as internet capacity from satellite will remain capped,” the report said citing people in the know.
High-Speed Internet for Remote India
Starlink operates a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites positioned just 550 km above the Earth – significantly closer than traditional geostationary satellites – enabling faster, low-latency internet access. The system has already been deployed in over 70 countries and aims to expand to the most remote and disaster-prone regions globally.
SpaceX has already deployed approximately 7,000 LEO satellites globally and aims to increase this to over 40,000, enabling internet access even in the most remote and challenging terrains – from conflict zones to disaster-stricken areas.
When Will Starlink Satellite Communication Services Start in India?
Elon Musk-owned Starlink has received a licence for satellite communication (satcom) services in India. It comes after the government last month had issued a letter of intent (LoI) to the entity.
Before launching its services, Starlink still needs approval from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and must be allocated spectrum by the government.
According to a PTI report, Starlink will be granted trial spectrum within about two weeks.
According to an ANI report citing sources, Starlink is preparing to commence operations in India within the next two months after receiving its licence last week.
Starlink’s hardware will be available at retail outlets of telecom operators Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio.
In April, Starlink signed pacts with Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, which together control more than 70 per cent of the country’s telecom market, to bring the US satellite internet giant’s services to India.
Starlink has become the third company to secure a satcom licence from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), after Eutelsat’s OneWeb and Reliance Jio.
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso…Read More
Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to markets, economy and companies. Having a decade of experience in financial journalism, Haris has been previously asso… Read More
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