In what was a glitch revealing dummy data, Starlink’s residential customer prices became public. According to the glitch, the service would have cost users Rs 8,600 per month. This fee would have given users unlimited data access, a 30-day free trial, and a guarantee of 99.9% uptime (the time a service is up and running), according to a report by The Hindu. The glitch also revealed that the company’s internet hardware would cost users Rs 34,000 during installation.
Since the glitch, Starlink’s VP Lauren Dreyer has confirmed that these numbers “do not reflect what the cost of Starlink service will be in India.” She added that the company is not expecting any orders as of now and mentioned that its teams are focused on obtaining final government approvals to start services and launch the Starlink website. This clarification is important given that, in 2021, the Indian government had pulled the company up for accepting pre-orders. The government then directed Starlink to refund the fees, as the company lacked proper authorisations.
As of 2025, Starlink has both the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license and IN-SPACe authorization necessary to operate satellite communication services. In August, the government also allocated Starlink provisional spectrum to demonstrate compliance with technical and security standards for its satellite network. Companies that receive provisional spectrum have to ensure that their network is isolated, safe, and secure from all vulnerabilities. They also need to have adequate security arrangements to prevent their wireless equipment from falling into unauthorized hands.
How much will satcom services cost?
In a conversation with MediaNama earlier this year, Jinesh Parekh, the founder of last-mile connectivity provider Muft Internet, pointed out that while the idea of universal connectivity through satcom may sound nice on paper, in practice, satellite connectivity is extremely expensive. “The cost of data satellite transfers (transmitting digital information between Earth and space via a satellite link) is enormous; even transferring a single GB of data costs a lot. The cost of setting up satellite operations is also high. As such, the cost of satellite internet access will be invariably high, which the average person in these [rural] regions may not be able to afford,” he explained.
Internationally, Starlink residential connection hardware costs GBP 299 (about Rs 33,624), with monthly service costs of GBP 75 per month (Rs 8,434). This is close to the prices revealed by the glitch. However, reports suggest that the prices for India would be lower than those in Western markets, closer to Rs 3,000–4,200 per month. This pricing would reportedly be in line with what the company has in place in Bangladesh and Bhutan.
Advertisements
Why it matters:
As India’s Minister of State for Communications, Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar, explained earlier this year, Starlink will have limited capacity in India and will be able to offer 2 million connections and internet speeds of up to 200 Mbps. He noted that, due to capacity limitations, the company will likely be able to offer only 40,000–50,000 connections.
In such a situation, the company will likely carefully target its limited customer base. Even at the projected lower Indian pricing of Rs 3,000–4,200 per month (unlike what the glitch revealed), the company may cater to premium users and businesses that require reliable connectivity in areas where traditional infrastructure is unavailable or inadequate.
Also read:
Support our journalism:
For You
Source link