Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk-backed satellite-based internet service, Starlink is now available in India for pre-orders for $99 which is above Rs 7000. Indian users can avail of internet connectivity by 2022 through satellites that SpaceX will launch in orbit. Currently, Starlink is in its beta-testing phase. Any user can check the availability of Starlink services in their area through its official website by typing in their city and postal code. “Starlink is available to a limited number of users per coverage area at this time. Orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis,” reads Starlink’s website.
Interested users in India can pay a deposit of $99, which amounts to approximately Rs 7270, at the time of writing this, to pre-book their Starlink broadband. It is to be noted that this amount is refundable and the orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. As of now, according to India Today, Starlink’s website for Maharashtra notes that it is targeting coverage in 2022 and that its availability is limited. Once users click on the Order Now button, users are redirected to a page where they have to put in details like their name, phone number, card details, etc. The company notes that it takes measures to protect users’ personal information from “loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.”
Starlink has also spelled out that depending on various regulatory approvals, the service will be released and will be available. It has also not given any sort of guarantees stating that the users may not get the broadband connection at all and if they do it may not be on the said date due to such factors.
Users in the USA, Australia, and Mexico get a Starlink kit for $499, according to online reports, this kit includes everything users will need to connect to the internet such as a wifi router, power supply, cables, and mounting tripod. A target of 1 Gbps downloading or uploading speed for its users has been reportedly set by Starlink. As of now, in its beta-testing phase, it gives up to 150 Mbps speeds which are reported to double up to 300 Mbps through testing.
For relatively better internet connectivity, Starlink broadband has put up some caveats like a clear field of view. “In early service, the required clear field of view is a 100-degree cone around the center of the dish (after tilting) with a 25-degree elevation minimum. Some obstructions are worse than others. Obstructions low in the sky will cause more outages because satellites are in this area of the sky more frequently,” Starlink in one of its FAQ notes.
