Elon Musk-backed Starlink to focus on areas with more pre-orders in India

Starlink has crossed 5,000 pre-orders in India and the company director noted that it was keen to work in rural areas for providing broadband services. The service is likely to roll out in India by December 2022.

Elon Musk-backed satellite-based Starlink broadband started taking pre-orders globally from February 2021. The company’s website notes that users are required to pay $99 for Starlink’s broadband connection, which may roll out by 2022. However, it may not get materilaised, in which case the company will refund its customers. Starlink, which is yet to receive regulatory approval in India, recently announced Sanjay Bhargava as Starlink Country Director for India.

Meanwhile, an NGO has voiced out concerns about Starlink’s method of asking for a deposit calling it unfair. NGO called Telecom Watchdog in a letter to the telecom secretary has alleged that US billionaire Elon Musk-led Starlink is illegally collecting money from Indian consumers with a promise of providing them broadband service even though it has no licence for the same.