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Starlink to offer satellite internet at Rs 3,000 per month, says MoS telecom

Starlink to offer satellite internet at Rs 3,000 per month, says MoS telecom

Time of Indiaa day ago
Elon Musk's satellite internet service Starling recently secured operational rights in India. Last month, the union minister for communications Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed that Starling can now offer services in India.
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Now a report by news agency PTI suggests that Starlink may offer its services in the country at monthly subscription free of approximately Rs 3,000. The report also adds that initially the service will be provided to limited users.
Starlink to offer satellite internet at Rs 3,000 per month
As reported by PTI, Minister of state for telecom Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar has revealed that Starlink is set to offer high-speed connectivity across India at a monthly cost of around Rs 3,000.
The service which users earth's orbit satellites is said to offer its internet services in rural and remote areas where traditional broadband infrastructure is limited.
Shekar also said the service will be initially limited to only 20 lakh users. 'Starlink can have only 20 lakh customers in India and offer up to 200 Mbps speed. That won't affect telecom services," the minister said.
So the relatively high cost and limited reach of the service makes that for the time being it quite unlikely for Starlink to disrupt the existing telecom players like BSNL, Jio, and Airtel, which continue to dominate urban and semi-urban markets.
Starlink in India launch date (expected)
While Starlink has not officially announced a launch date for its satellite internet services in India, reports suggest the service could roll out within the next three months. It is also expected that pre-orders of the internet service may open soon, allowing customers in India to book the service by paying a small upfront amount.
Starlink in India hardware requirements
Starlink hardware will be distributed in India through telecom players – Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio.
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Both firms have signed agreements with SpaceX ahead of Starlink's planned entry into the Indian market.
The exact pricing of Starlink equipment in India has not been announced. In the United States, the standard Starlink kit is priced at $349 (approximately Rs 30,000), while the smaller Starlink Mini costs $599 (around Rs 43,000). In India, internet speeds are expected to vary between 25 Mbps and 220 Mbps, depending on the user's location and satellite coverage.
Starlink in India pricing (expected)
According to reports, Starlink plans to offer satellite internet kits with a price tag of Rs 33,000. Monthly subscription, on the other hand, may be priced around Rs 3,000-Rs 4,200.
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The treaty governs the use of the Indus River system that flows through both countries and is vital to its economies. It left India in control of the eastern Beas, Ravi and Sutlej rivers, and gave Pakistan rights over the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum. However, India was still allowed to draw from the western rivers for, among other things, domestic and agricultural use and hydroelectricity. Many in India have been calling for New Delhi to renegotiate the treaty or withdraw from it entirely. About a possible diversion of the Indus, Delhi should closely monitor the issue. Representational image. File image/PTI Home Minister Ahmed Shah, speaking in Parliament recently, decried the treaty as 'one-sided'. 'The Indus Water Treaty was one-sided. Farmers of India also have the right over the water, and soon, drinking water will reach Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, and Delhi from the Indus,' Shah said. 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STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD They say this will further increase Pakistan's concerns about its water woes and its energy issues. With inputs from agencies

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