Elon Musk’s owned SpaceX seems to be all set to introduce its Starlink services in India in collaboration with telecom giants Airtel and Jio. This comes after the Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal met with Starlink executives and discussed the investment roadmap in the country. During the meeting, Goyal discussed satellite technology, existing global partnerships and proposed expansion plans more with the executives including Starlink’s Vice President Chad Gibbs and Senior Director Ryan Goodnight.
Despite consistent updates and announcements, the Starlink India launch date remains unknown. It could be because Elon Musk’s company is going through licensing and government approvals. According to the report, once approved, the company plans to roll out the services in phases, with early access to rural and underserved regions.
Also read: Airtel partners with SpaceX to bring Starlink internet services to India: All you need to know
Jio and Starlink are expected to host Starlink hardware in their stores, giving customers direct access to satellite internet services. The report also claims that Vodafone Idea is in preliminary discussions with the brand.
Starlink is already available in over 125 countries and has over 5 million active users; the company is now looking to expand by entering India’s large digital market. Starlink services cost $110 (approximately Rs 9,000) per month, with a setup fee of around $599 (more than Rs 50,000).
Given India’s price sensitive mindset, the companies are expected to launch the services at aggressive pricing, with experts estimating a range of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500, with hardware pricing adjusted through partnerships.
It is important to note that the exact prices and plans for the Indian market are currently unknown.
Starlink is known for providing high-speed internet with a capacity of several terabytes per second. However, the report believes that Indian users can achieve speeds of more than 220 Mbps in certain areas. The exact speed limits and other details are unknown.