Elon Musk’s Starlink to get India launch approval next week
Elon Musk’s satellite broadband firm, Starlink, is set to receive approval from the Indian government to begin operations in the country. If granted, Starlink will become the third company to provide satellite connectivity services in India. Previously, Jio Satellite Communications and OneWeb, owned by Bharti Airtel, have already received licenses from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).
According to a report by Moneycontrol, the DoT’s Neeraj Mittal and Minister of Communications Ashwani Vaishnav are preparing a note for the approval. Once the note is ready, the department’s Satellite Communications Wing (SCW) will issue the approval to Starlink, with the expected receipt of the letter of intent (LoI) by Wednesday.
Starlink had previously started accepting pre-orders for satellite connectivity in 2021, receiving over 5,000 pre-orders. However, the company was required to refund these fees as it did not possess a commercial license to operate in India. In November 2022, Starlink began the process of applying for the global mobile personal communication by satellite services (GMPCS) license, now expected to clear the necessary checks for functioning in the country.
Jio Satellite Communications and OneWeb have already received the GMPCS license, with Jio announcing JioSpace Fiber, its satellite internet service, at the India Mobile Congress in 2023. However, the service is yet to be made available, as it awaits further approvals, including authorization from The Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-Space).
Satellite internet, unlike traditional broadband, operates using signals from satellites rather than a cellular network. Users set up a satellite dish or modem in their homes, which receives signals from a satellite in space and provides internet connectivity.
With Starlink’s potential entry into the Indian market, it aims to expand its operations alongside existing players Jio and OneWeb. The approval from the Indian government will pave the way for increased competition in the satellite connectivity sector, offering users a wider range of options for internet access.
