Before You Get Excited About Starlink in India, Read This...

Image Credit: Starlink

Starlink, the satellite internet service by Elon Musk, is facing fresh hurdles before it can fully launch in India. The Indian government has come up with some new restrictions. It has reportedly capped Starlink’s user base at 20 lakh connections across the country. And honestly, it feels like a balancing act. On one hand, the tech sounds promising. On the other hand, the government is clearly trying to protect its own telecom space and, of course, national security.

First off, there is a user cap. Starlink can only serve up to 2 million users in India. That sounds like a lot, but in a country this big? It is a limitation.

Along with that come the security rules. There are 30 of them, that is right. And they are not light rules either. Things like setting up local data centers, using India’s own navigation system called NavIC, and making sure they can block websites or hand over metadata when the authorities ask. Basically, Starlink needs to be fully controllable from within India.

Also, they are being told to build control centers inside the country. These centers would let the government shut down or restrict services in any sensitive region if it ever comes to that.

Read More: Musk’s Starlink All Set to Launch in India: Will It Be Affordable, and Who Will Be Impacted?

Now, why all this? Well, the domestic players like BSNL, Jio, and Airtel were obviously concerned. The government seems to be giving them some breathing room. These new Starlink conditions kind of level the playing field a bit. You could say it is a way to make sure the local telecom companies are not blindsided by a global tech giant swooping in.

Even though Starlink already got a GMPCS license, that alone is not enough. They now need to meet all these extra requirements to actually start offering services.

According to reports, Starlink, operated by Elon Musk’s SpaceX, will be permitted to offer internet speeds of up to 200 Mbps. The service is expected to primarily cater to users in rural and remote areas of India. The upfront cost of Starlink’s satellite setup will be high. Monthly charges for the service are likely to be around Rs 3,000, making it a costly option for most users.

Starlink has reportedly obtained IN-SPACe Approval from IN-SPACe to operate its Gen-1 satellite constellation in Indian Airspace. The licence is valid for 5 years, up to July 7, 2030.

In short, the government seems open to innovation, but not at the cost of control or fairness. It is being careful about how and when to let in something as disruptive as satellite internet.

My View: I feel Starlink could change internet access in rural India, but these rules show the government wants control before letting it grow. It looks like India is saying yes to new technology, but only on its own terms.

Read More: How I Wonder What You Dream; Starlink Moves Closer to India Launch

How I Wonder What You Dream; Starlink Moves Closer to India Launch

Starlink Internet India

Synopsis: Starlink is Elon Musk's satellite internet company. It is getting ready to launch in India. The company has received regulatory approvals. This is a big step. It will help bring the internet to remote parts of the country.

Final rollout now depends on spectrum allocation by the Indian government as advised by TRAI.

The question of whether India's skies will be opened up for satellite internet services has been almost answered. Starlink has received InSpace's approval. Bharti Airtel, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Reliance Jio have already overcome similar hurdles and obtained approval, but the arrival of Starlink, a global market giant that currently serves 100 countries, has been a big topic of discussion in India for years. The reason for this is that it is the initiative of Elon Musk, a tech entrepreneur and later the right-hand man of the US President for a while. Beyond that, there are other economic and political reasons.

Without cables or mobile towers, receiving signals through a small dish antenna, and providing internet access to places where even electricity does not reach, in deserts and mountainous areas, and even in battlefields where the enemy has razed the country to the ground, Starlink, which has made history, faced unprecedented obstacles in India.

Starlink's first major setback occurred in 2021 when TRAI intervened, refunding the approximately Rs 7,400 it had paid for not providing internet distribution permission and spectrum. Joe Biden was the president of the United States at that time. The arrival of Trump in power after Biden replaced him and Elon Musk became Trump's right-hand man, which accelerated Starlink's entry into India. Musk, who had been trying for years to get the GMPCS (Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite) license from the Department of Telecom, which is the permission for satellite internet in the country, received that permission only this past June. Four months after Elon Musk and Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed space opportunities at Blair House, the US President's guest house, on February 14, Starlink can now start serving in the country if the center allocates more spectrum as recommended by TRAI.

Demands and conditions

In a country where telecom companies have won 5G spectrum in the auction for one and a quarter lakh crore rupees, the dispute has escalated over Starlink's demand for spectrum without much cost. Starlink's demand that India comply with global standards and the stance of Indian cellular operators not to allow it have become a crisis. The decision to allow spectrum without an auction in the 2023 Space Policy has benefited Starlink.

The arrival of Starlink was facilitated when Elon Musk accepted the demands that everything, including the personal information of citizens within the country, be kept within the country and that nothing should go outside the country, that the ground infrastructure system be established within the country, and that conditions related to national security be accepted.

Still, the issues raised by the country's traditional telecom companies remain unresolved. Telecom companies still say that the benefits of spectrum are technically and economically beneficial, and that if companies like Starlink are allowed to use it without an auction, the country will become a venue for many unhealthy competitions. The Cellular Operators Association of India had also urged the government to review the government's policy in the Indian market, where giants including Amazon's Kuiper and others are dominating not only Starlink but also the Indian market.

Will there be a change?

The tech world sees the final approval of Starlink as an end to all concerns, and the country has stepped into the new satellite internet sector. In a country where many are waiting for the arrival of Elon Musk, some consider Starlink with Tesla as doubly sweet. Tesla is about to open its first showroom in the country in Bandra, Mumbai.

Preparations for entering the Starlink market had started long ago. They first joined hands with Bharti Airtel and Jio, who were at the forefront of the dispute, that too as Starlink's distributors in the country.

The Starlink connection, including the receiver and other components, is expected to cost around Rs 33,000. The monthly cost will be around Rs 3,000. Reports suggest that Starlink is also planning to offer an initial free subscription of Rs 840. Although there is a huge difference compared to the current broadband prices in the country, the arrival of Starlink cannot be seen as small when considering the nature and location of the users.

Read More: How to Afford Starlink in India? Unlimited Data Cost Rs.3,000/Month, Receiver Kit Rs.33K - Spl Offer Any?

Read More: Musk’s Starlink All Set to Launch in India: Will It Be Affordable, and Who Will Be Impacted?

#StarlinkIndia,#SatelliteInternetIndia,

 

How to Afford Starlink in India? Unlimited Data Cost Rs.3,000/Month, Receiver Kit Rs.33K - Spl Offer Any?

 

Starlink India, Elon Musk, Satellite Internet India,

Synopsis - Elon Musk’s Starlink has secured regulatory approval to launch in India. The service is expected to cost Rs.3,000/month with a Rs.33,000 receiver kit. Promotional rates as low as Rs.850 may be offered. Starlink joins OneWeb and Jio in India’s satellite internet race, with Amazon's Kuiper still awaiting approval.

Key Highlights

• Starlink receives DoT approval and is expected to launch in India within 12 months.
• Expected pricing: Rs.3,000/month for unlimited data and Rs.33,000 for the receiver kit.
• Promotional plans may launch at under Rs.850/month to attract Indian users.
• Starlink joins OneWeb and Jio in India’s growing satellite internet race; Amazon’s Kuiper still pending.

What Makes Starlink Different from Jio and OneWeb?

Elon Musk's satellite internet company Starlink has received a license from India's Department of Telecommunications (DoT), paving the way for its launch in the country within the next 12 months. The service, which offers internet via low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, is designed to connect rural and remote regions where traditional broadband and mobile networks are limited or unavailable.

Starlink currently operates in over 100 countries, offering residential and roaming plans. In many regions, plans are categorized into two types: Residential Light (for light usage or small households) and Standard Residential (for larger families or heavier internet use).

In neighboring countries like Bhutan and Bangladesh, Residential Light plans cost around Rs.3,000 per month, while Standard Residential plans range from Rs.4,000 to Rs.4,600. In India, the expected pricing model follows a similar structure , i.e, around Rs.3,000/month for unlimited data and a one-time charge of Rs.33,000 for the receiver kit, which includes a satellite dish and Wi-Fi router.

Reports suggest that Starlink may launch with promotional unlimited data plans in India priced under $10 per month (around Rs.850) to attract a larger user base. However, the official pricing and availability will be confirmed once Starlink announces its India launch.

With this development, Starlink becomes the third company licensed to offer satellite internet in India, following Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications, while Amazon's Project Kuiper is still awaiting regulatory clearance.

Read More: Musk’s Starlink All Set to Launch in India: Will It Be Affordable, and Who Will Be Impacted?