Two of India’s largest telecom companies, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, have teamed up with Starlink to provide high-speed Internet services.
Elon Musk’s Stars and Stripes link is dealing with a canceled contract in Canada and engaging in uncertainty over the trade dispute between the United States and Canada. At the same time, it faces growing competition from Europe, especially in the ongoing war in Ukraine. But despite these challenges, American satellite internet companies have recently gained major opportunities in another part of the world.
Two of India’s largest telecom companies, Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio, have teamed up with Starlink to provide high-speed Internet services. Bharti Airtel announced its partnership on Tuesday, March 11, followed by Reliance Jio on Wednesday, March 12. The agreements will allow the two companies to provide Starlink’s internet to hundreds of millions of customers across the country.
The first major hurdle has been overcome through an announcement of partnerships with Airtel and Jio. However, both Indian companies said the agreement depends on SpaceX getting the necessary approval to provide Starlink services in India.
Starlink is eager to enter the Indian market and it is easy to understand why. According to recent government data, India has more than 9.7 billion Internet users. This means nearly three-quarters (75%) of the country’s large population are online. India has the world’s second largest Internet user, second only to China. However, China’s online space is mainly from Western companies, making India an attractive market for companies like Starlink.
India’s decision to allow Starlink to enter the market was recent and could also be influenced by political reasons.
Starlink may get the necessary approval as its parent company SpaceX is owned by Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man. Musk, who donated hundreds of millions of dollars to the campaign of former U.S. President Donald Trump, is now considered one of the most influential figures in the Trump administration. Musk has a close ties with Trump, a strong Trump ties, who often criticize India’s high import taxes and even warn that similar taxes may be imposed during political decision-making.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was one of the first world leaders to visit Trump after he began his second term. During that visit, Modi also met with Elon Musk at the White House. Later, in an article on X (a platform owned by Musk), Modi shared that they talk about space, mobility, technology and innovation.
Starlink’s global coverage
Starlink can use its satellite network to provide fairly fast internet to anyone with a clear view of the sky.
Unlike traditional satellite internet providers that typically have slow speeds and latency, Starlink uses a low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network. These satellites are much closer to Earth than conventional satellites, allowing them to send and receive data faster.
They also communicate with each other, which means that Starlink satellites in space use laser links to share data directly, rather than always relying on ground stations. This allows satellites to transmit information more efficiently over long distances, even in oceans or remote areas where ground stations are restricted.
As a result, the high-speed Internet provided by Starlink has minimal latency (latency). Latency refers to the time it takes for data to travel between users and satellites, while lower latency means a smoother and faster Internet experience.
The Lion satellite moves on Earth at very high speeds. They orbit around altitudes about 500 to 2,000 kilometers (310 to 1,240 miles) above the Earth, much lower than traditional satellites. Since they are close to Earth, they have to travel very fast (27,000 km/h (17,000 miles/h)) to stay in orbit and not land on Earth.
This high speed allows them to complete the full orbit around the Earth in 90 to 120 minutes. Because they move so quickly, ground antennas have to keep track of them to maintain a stable internet connection. To ensure continuous coverage, Starlink has a large number of satellites working together in the network, so as one satellite moves out of range, the other moves to its location.
Starlink has a network of more than 7,000 satellites currently orbiting the Earth.
In 2024, the company announced that it has more than 4.6 million users worldwide, including about 1.4 million users in the United States.
Starlink has the world’s largest low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite network. Meanwhile, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos’s company is working on the Kuiper project, which aims to send 3,236 satellites into space.
Currently, Eutelsat OneWeb has more than 630 satellites in space. Meanwhile, SpaceX plans to increase its satellite network to 42,000 in the future.
Starlink is available in North America, South America, Australia and certain parts of Europe. Bhutan has recently become the first South Asian country to operate legally.
How Starlink provides internet connection
- To use Starlink, users need satellite dishes and a router that connects to satellites that rotate the Earth.
- The dish will automatically adjust to link with the nearest Starlink satellite group to ensure a stable Internet connection.
- Although Starlink is primarily used for fixed uses, it can also provide additional hardware for mobile vehicles, boats and aircraft.
Starlink Programs and Speed: What is available in India?
According to Business Today, Starlink has not disclosed its plans for India. However, looking at the pricing and internet speeds in Bhutan can give us an idea of what to expect when India launches.
Starlink plan in Bhutan:
- Residential Lightweight Plan – Rs 3,001 per month
- Internet speed: 23 Mbps to 100 Mbps
- Best for: Basic browsing, social media and video streaming
Standard residential plan
- Price: Rs 4,201 per month
- Speed range: 25 Mbps to 110 Mbps
- Unlimited data for gaming, HD streaming and video calls
If Starlink is launched in India, its pricing and internet speeds are expected to be competitive with other satellite broadband providers such as Bharti Basked OneWeb and Jio-SES.
Starlink’s internet plan may be more expensive than Bhutan because India imposes a 30% tax on foreign digital services. India may start at around Rs 3500 to Rs 4,500 per month depending on the tax structure and additional costs.
How does Starlink work on a boat?
Starlink offers two internet plans. The first plan costs USD 250 per month (Rs 21,250) and includes 50GB of data. The second plan is much more expensive, with a price of US$1,000 (Rs 85,000) per month, but provides 1TB of data. These options meet different needs based on data usage and budget.
To set up Starlink on board, you need to buy the hardware for $2,500 (Rs 2,12,500). You can also get optional accessories such as a pipe adapter (Rs 10,200) for $120 (Rs 10,200) and a 3rd generation Wi-Fi router ($16,915) if you want. These add-ons can improve settings according to your needs.
If you are looking for a more affordable option, you can use the standard Starlink kit on board. However, it only works if the ship is not moving.
In December 2024, Andaman and Nicobar Islands police seized interstellar satellites from a group of drug smugglers. They allegedly used fishing boats to transport methamphetamine worth Rs 3.6 billion. Satellite Internet may help them communicate at sea, making it harder for authorities to track their movements.
Starlink vs Fiber
In urban areas, fiber broadband services based on Jiofiber and Airtel Xstream provide internet at a lower price than Starlink. However, Starlink may be a game changer in rural and remote parts of India, where fiber connections are unreliable or unavailable. With its satellite-based technology, Starlink can deliver high-speed Internet to areas that are hard to reach by traditional broadband services.
(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author’s own views and do not reflect the views of DNA)
