After Tesla, Elon Musk gets ready to launch Starlink in India: 5 things you must know

India Today

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India has officially cleared the way for Elon Musk's Starlink to beam internet from space. The satellite broadband arm of SpaceX has been granted a licence to launch services in the country, a move that claims to connect some of India's most remote regions. According to a Press Trust of India (PTI) report, Starlink's highspeed internet service is expected to cost around Rs 3,000 per month, though availability will initially be limited. But there's more to it. Here is the full story in 5 points.advertisementElon Musk's Starlink coming to India: Story in 5 pointsLicence granted for Starlink's satellite internetUnion Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia confirmed that Starlink has been awarded a Unified Licence to operate in India. 'Frameworks for spectrum allocation and gateway establishment are ready, ensuring smooth rollout,' Scindia said, according to PTI.
The approval, granted by the Department of Telecommunications earlier in July, comes after a process that first began in 2021 but was delayed due to regulatory checks and spectrum distribution issues.Jio, Airtel, BSNL to complement The development was confirmed by the Minister of State for Telecom, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, who said that Starlink has now been cleared to operate in India. The service will rely on lowEarth orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver broadband connectivity and is expected to complement, rather than compete with, existing providers such as Jio, Airtel and BSNL, particularly in cities and large towns where traditional telecom networks are already wellestablished.To support the rollout, the Starlink hardware, consisting of a satellite dish and WiFi router, will reportedly be distributed through partnerships with Indian telecom companies, including Airtel and Jio. These firms have entered into infrastructuresharing arrangements with SpaceX to help bring the service to customers across the country.Pricing and hardwareReports suggest that SpaceX will charge users approximately Rs 33,000 for the Starlink hardware kit, which includes a satellite dish, Wi-Fi router, and mounting equipment. Once installed, the subscription will cost around Rs 3,000 a month for unlimited data, with entrylevel promotional plans expected to start at about Rs 850 per month.Internet speeds are likely to range between 25 Mbps and 220 Mbps. Initially, the service will be capped at two million users across India, focusing on areas where traditional internet access is limited.Competition heats upStarlink's arrival adds to a growing list of companies vying to deliver internet from space. Bhartibacked Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio's joint venture with SES of Luxembourg have already received approval but, like Starlink, are waiting for spectrum before rolling out commercial services.With more than 65 per cent of India's rural population still lacking reliable internet, according to the IAMAIKantar ICUBE Report 2023, satellite broadband is viewed as a critical tool for bridging the country's digital divide.advertisementFor the futureLooking ahead, Starlink is preparing for a significant technological upgrade that promises a substantial leap in internet performance. According to multiple online reports, the next generation of Starlink satellites, due to begin launching in 2026, will be capable of providing more than 1,000 Gbps of capacity per satellite. This advancement could boost download speeds to as much as ten times faster than those currently available, making the service even more valuable in areas with limited connectivity.With the regulatory green light now in hand, the spotlight shifts firmly to spectrum allocation. Once this final hurdle is cleared, Starlink will begin offering satellite-powered internet to Indian users, with Musk aiming to do for broadband what Tesla did for electric cars.- EndsTune In