Elon Musk’s Starlink—what is it? 

• Starlink is a low-earth orbit constellation of over 7,000 satellites providing internet access to users with ground terminals.
• The service offers speeds of around 100 megabits per second, comparable with many home broadband connections.
• The “latency” is higher than wired broadband connections in offices and homes.
• Starlink may not be useful in cities and towns with good 5G connectivity or wired broadband coverage in India.
• The cost of Starlink includes the user terminal and monthly access fee.
• The hardware price may range between ₹17,000 and ₹40,000 without introductory pricing on the hardware.
• Unlimited residential and roaming plans range from $120-$165 in the U.S.
• The cost to provide Starlink service is the same everywhere on earth.
• In Bhutan, where Starlink launched this year, it is priced at 4,200 to 8,400 ngultrum.
• A higher-priced plan for users on the move, called “mobile priority,” is available at 21,000 ngultrum per month.
• Starlink faces several regulatory hurdles, including obtaining a Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) authorisation under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, obtaining a security clearance from the Ministry of Home Affairs, and allotting wireless spectrum.
• Despite these hurdles, speculation suggests the government may facilitate Starlink’s entry in short order.