Starlink, the satellite internet service operated by Elon Musk's company SpaceX, is now in the final stages of preparation for its launch in India. Although the official launch date has not yet been revealed, considering the recent announcements and preparations by the government, it is expected that the service may start in India in the next few months.
Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar recently shared information on several important aspects related to this. He clarified the government's policy regarding aspects such as the potential price, speed, and connection limits of Starlink. Notably, the arrival of this service could bring about a major change in internet connectivity in remote areas of the country.
How much will Starlink cost?
The initial setup cost for Starlink internet service in India could be between ₹30,000 to ₹35,000. This will be a one-time expense, which includes equipment such as a dish and router. After this, users will have to pay a monthly subscription fee of ₹3,000 to ₹4,200, depending on their location and data usage.
Experts believe that this price will not be competitive in metro cities, as fast and affordable internet services like Jio Fiber and Airtel Xstream are already available there. But in rural and hilly areas, where broadband or mobile network access is still limited, Starlink could become an important step towards a digital revolution.
What will be the speed and how many connections?
The current Starlink internet service is likely to provide speeds ranging from 25 Mbps to 225 Mbps, and users are generally expected to receive an average speed of 220 Mbps. However, the Indian government has not allowed Starlink to provide more than 2 million connections.
According to Union Minister of State Parmeswari Chandrasekhar, this limit has been set so that existing internet service providers in the country, such as Jio and Airtel, are not adversely affected. In addition, Starlink will distribute its hardware in India in partnership with Indian companies, which will improve local technical support and customer service.
Starlink will be even faster in 2026
The future of Starlink does not stop here. The company is working on plans to launch its next-generation satellites by 2026. These satellites will have the capacity to provide data speeds of approximately 1000 Gbps per unit, which is many times faster than existing services.
After this technological advancement, Starlink internet service could become a leading option for fast and reliable internet access not only in rural India but also globally. Through this, internet can be delivered to those areas of the world where digital connectivity is still a dream.
