Taking a big step towards digitally connecting remote areas of India, Elon Musk's company SpaceX's satellite internet project Starlink has got official approval in India. With this license issued by the Ministry of Telecommunications, it has now got permission to start satellite based broadband services in India. With this, Starlink will now compete with companies like Reliance Jio and OneWeb.
How does Starlink work?
Starlink does not depend on traditional fiber or mobile towers. It sends internet signals directly to the dish antenna installed in the user's home or office through thousands of small satellites present in the low orbit of the Earth (LEO). This dish then transmits the internet to the user through a Wi-Fi router. So far, more than 6,000 Starlink satellites are in space and there is a plan to increase it to 42,000 by 2027. Its internet speed can be between 50 to 250 Mbps which can bring revolution in rural and inaccessible areas, all that is required is clear sky.
Why does India need Starlink?
Although the Indian government has been working on rural broadband expansion through projects like BharatNet for several years, connectivity is still weak in areas like Ladakh, Arunachal, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman. Installing fiber or towers in mountains, forests and islands is expensive and difficult. In such a situation, systems like Starlink are capable of providing fast and stable internet without depending on ground infrastructure. Starlink can also play an important role in facilities like emergency services, border surveillance, telemedicine, online education and e-governance.
The real impact of Starlink will be seen in villages and tribal areas where there are neither banks, nor hospitals nor good connectivity. Services like telemedicine, digital education, information about government schemes and online banking will now be available in these places. The government is also considering a plan to make it available to the villagers at affordable rates by giving subsidy under the public-private partnership model.
Will I get free internet?
At present, the price of Starlink in India has not been decided, but in the US and Europe its monthly price is Rs 8,000-10,000 and the hardware kit (dish + router) is around Rs 50,000-60,000. Prices in India can be kept relatively low, especially for rural consumers.
The Indian government has laid down the condition of storing the data of Indian users in India under strict rules of data localization. There will be no compromise on national security and data sovereignty. Earlier in 2021, Starlink had taken pre-orders without license, which was stopped by the government. But now after getting all the permissions, it is being formally launched from 2025.
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