Elon Musk-led satellite internet company Starlink is preparing to launch its services in India soon.
Starlink will be allowed to have 20 lakh connections.
According to the government, Starlink services will not affect existing telecom companies.
Elon Musk-led satellite internet company Starlink is preparing to launch its services in India soon, but there’s a limit to how many users it can serve. According to Union Minister of State for Telecom, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, Starlink will be allowed to have only 20 lakh connections in India.
SurveyThe minister made this statement during a BSNL review meeting and said that Starlink’s limited user base and speed will not affect existing telecom companies, according to PTI. “Starlink can have only 20 lakh customers in India and offer up to 200 Mbps speed. That won’t affect telecom services,” Sekhar said.
Meanwhile, here’s what we know so far about Starlink’s launch timeline in India.
Also read: Best international roaming plans under Rs 2,000: Airtel vs Jio vs BSNL compared
Starlink India launch timeline (Expected)
Starlink is expected to roll out its satellite-based internet services in India either by the end of this year or in early 2026. The company is still working on getting all the necessary approvals to begin operations.
Starlink plans, pricing in India and more (Expected)
To attract users in India, Starlink may introduce its unlimited internet plans at promotional prices under $10 per month, that is about Rs 840. However, the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has suggested a monthly fee of Rs 500 for urban users. Additionally, a 4 percent fee has been proposed on the company’s adjusted gross revenue and a minimum yearly fee of Rs 3,500 per MHz for satellite spectrum. On top of that, Starlink will likely need to pay an 8 percent license fee to offer its services commercially in the country.
While Starlink hasn’t revealed the hardware pricing for India yet, in the United States, the standard kit costs $349 (about Rs 30,000), and the newer, more compact Starlink Mini is priced at $599 (around Rs 43,000).
Follow Us
Ayushi Jain
Ayushi works as Chief Copy Editor at Digit, covering everything from breaking tech news to in-depth smartphone reviews. Prior to Digit, she was part of the editorial team at IANS. View Full Profile
