Elon Musk’s Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, has been generating headlines around the world for its promise of high-speed, low-latency internet anywhere, even in the world’s most remote areas. Although the service reached over 100 countries, there is no official launch for India yet.
Starlink has received permission to operate in India, but the terms for pricing and availability are yet to be determined. In the rest of the world, Starlink is already a practical alternative to existing broadband in many places, but pricing there is also very different on a country-by-country basis, depending on local demand and the speed of deployment.
This piece discusses where Starlink stands in India, the kind of pricing we expect, and how much it costs other countries for Starlink’s service. Understanding how Starlink functions internationally may give Indian consumers better insight on its potential services when it finally takes off.
Starlink’s Approval in India From a Regulatory Perspective
SpaceX’s satellite internet service has taken an important step forward after it received approval from India to operate in the country.
Starlink got the green light from India’s Department of Telecommunications (DoT), making it the third organization, after Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite Communications, that’s been approved to provide so-called commercial satellite internet services in India.
Amazon’s Kuiper is awaiting permission and so, Starlink is one of the forerunners in India’s emerging satellite internet market.
They hope to begin offering services in 12 months or less with 600-700 Gbps capacity. A few things need to fall into place before commercial operations kick off though.
Starlink first needs the final go-ahead from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe) and has to secure its spectrum.
Starlink Price in India: What to Expect
Official pricing for the Indian region is still unknown, but reports have indicated that Starlink could be priced competitively to enter the Indian market.
Previous estimates suggested users would have to spend between ₹3,000 and ₹7,000 a month, but recent reports suggest promotional plans as cheap as $10 (₹840) a month, offering unlimited data.
But the monthly fee is only a part of the cost. Users will also need to buy the Starlink hardware kit, which comes with a satellite dish and Wi-Fi router. The affordable “Starlink Kit” is priced at around $349 in the U.S.
Approximately ₹30,000 for the starlink kit, with more of a portable “Starlink Mini” model available at $599 (about ₹51,300). With India being a price-sensitive market, Starlink may offer financing options or tie-ups with local telecom providers to soften the upfront cost barrier.
A Global Comparison of Starlink Prices in Other Countries
To sketch out how much Starlink could charge for its service in India, let’s take a look at how it prices its service in other countries where it is up and running.
Asia
In Asia, Starlink is functional in Mongolia, Japan, Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Jordan, Yemen and Azerbaijan. But there is a catch: None of India’s immediate neighbors except for Bhutan and Bangladesh have the service.
Bhutan: The Residential Lite plan can be availed for a monthly rental of ₹3,000 and the Standard Residential Plan for ₹4,200 per month.
Bangladesh: The Residential Lite plan is almost ₹3,000 and full Residential plan will cost you ₹4,000.
Malaysia: The Residential Lite plan starts from around ₹2,600, and the standard Residential plan is priced at ₹4,600.
Japan & Philippines: The service in Japan is just under ₹4,000 per month, whereas in the Philippines it is a little above, at roughly ₹6,000.
North America
As a subscription service, Starlink is offered throughout the U.S., Canada, and a few took its five-figure pricing in countries around the world.
United States: The Residential Lite plan costs about ₹2,500 and the standard Residential plan around ₹4,000 in cities such as New York.
Canada: Prices are higher here, with the Residential Lite plan costing ₹6,800 and the standard Residential at close to ₹9,000 a month.
Europe
All EU countries can order a Starlink package, except those in Bosnia and Ukraine, Herzegovina and Serbia.
France: ₹2,800 for Residential Lite, whereas ₹4,000 is charged for the Residential.
UK: Similarly, one plan – resedential – is present here as well that’s being sold for £89 which roughly sums up to ₹8,700.
Italy: The Residential Lite plan costs ₹3,400 while the Residential plan is close to ₹5,000.
Africa
Starlink already operates in small parts of Africa, in for example countries like Niger, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, and Ghana.
Ghana: The Residential Lite plan for Ghanaians is about ₹4,000 while the normal Residential plan simply above ₹6,000.
Australia & New Zealand
Almost all of Australia and New Zealand is in Starlink coverage, at a cost similar to that charged by midtier broadband services throughout the region.
Why Starlink May Revolutionise Internet in India
Here is what Starlink brings in India Starlink may be costlier than traditional broadband and mobile internet, but it offers a few benefits:
- Universal Connection: Starlink is capable of delivering high-speed internet to areas that have limited or no connectivity due to the absence of ground infrastructure.
- Low Latency: In contrast to the legacy satellite internet that are based on geostationary satellites, Starlink’s low Earth orbit (LEO)satellites provide faster speed and lower latency.
- Disaster Resilience: ‘Starlink’ can provide a reliable connection that can be utilized in the event of ground infrastructure failure in areas affected by natural disasters.
- Competitive Pricing: If Starlink were to offer plans for ₹840 a month in India, it could potentially shake up the country’s broadband industry, particularly in regions lacking access to fibre and 5G.
Challenges Ahead for Starlink in India
The company’s Starlink business has faced its share of challenges there.
That potential may be huge, but Starlink has several obstacles to clear before it can begin to dominate India:
- Regulatory Holdup: Final approvals by IN-SPACe and spectrum allocation may be further delayed.
- Local Competition: Jio and Airtel are already working with other satellite companies and their dominance in the telecom business could mean tough competition.
- Affordability: The best deals in terms of monthly charge is not going to drive huge adoption unless it is heavily subsidy driven or EMI driven due to high cost of hardware upfront.
Conclusion
The arrival of Starlink in India is an event of great consequence in the country’s digital expansion. Though the exact pricing is speculative, the international comparisons indicate that Starlink may offer competitive pricing to woo Indian subscribers.
The service’s potential to narrow the digital divide in rural and remote areas could make it a transformative factor in India’s internet market.
It’s only when we get on the other side of the regulatory process and we start to see commercial operation in India that we get a better sense of how affordable and how high performing Starlink can be in India.”
In the meantime, global price trends provide a useful guide to what India can look forward to in Elon Musk’s ambitious satellite internet experiment.