Starlink may soon provide satellite broadband services in India

Satellite broadband’s availability may soon pace up in India as Elon Musk’s Starlink is reported to enter the country soon. Last year, Starlink’s parent company – SpaceX – applied for the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license with the Department of Telecommunication (DoT).

Now, as per The New Indian Express, the people close to the development are likely to meet DoT officials next month. The meeting is said to happen on September 20 in which Starlink may be awarded the license to operate in the country.

If this is to be believed, we may finally get satellite broadband connectivity in the country. Starlink may again resume its pre-orders. For the unversed, Starlink started taking pre-orders for the service even before getting a license from the Government. However, the process was stopped as Starlink was told to first start its operations in India by getting a license with DoT.

Upon getting a license, which may or may not happen next month (depending on the authenticity of the report), Starlink may start its process in a full-fledged way. Now, it’s worth noting that Elon Musk’s Starlink isn’t the only one that is acquiring the GMPCS license. In fact, it is the third company to apply for that license after Airtel-backed OneWeb and Jio’s satellite firm, Jio Space Technology.

What is Satellite internet and how it works?

Satellite internet is a type of internet connectivity that works even when there’s no cellular network. Unlike traditional broadband internet which requires infrastructure like cables and fiber-optic lines, Satellite internet uses signals from the satellites orbiting the Earth.

For this to work, users are required to set up a satellite dish or a modem in their house. The dish or modem will then get signals from the satellite that’s up in space and finally offer you Internet connectivity.

Starlink currently offers satellite broadband services in 32 countries.