Starlink Space X satellite internet services are quite expensive. Since this is satellite broadband, it will certainly be more expensive than traditional internet. The company charges customers $99 for pre-booking an Internet connection. Now that alone is super expensive.
Synopsis
- Starlink will start its services in South Korea soon.
- In developing countries and rural areas, satellite communications services can be too expensive.
- Starlink has been asked to refund customers in India.
Starlink, a satellite communications (satcom) company owned by SpaceX, has filed documents to start services in South Korea. News source updated from Reuters (via Yonhap). Starlink's website suggests it would begin services in the second quarter of this year in South Korea. Starlink has deployed a constellation of satellites to offer Internet services to people around the world. Satellite Internet can reach places where terrestrial networks cannot. Therefore, companies like Starlink are able to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas in most countries.
However, Starlink services are quite expensive. Since this is satellite broadband, it will certainly be more expensive than traditional internet. The company charges customers $99 for pre-booking an Internet connection. Now that alone is super expensive. So customers also have to pay extra money for equipment and subscription plans.
In developing countries and rural areas, satellite communications services can be too expensive. However, satcom players can also help terrestrial network service providers. Both can potentially work together to reach areas where internet services are lacking and even terrestrial network service providers can get help from satcom companies for backhaul in India.
Starlink has been trying to come to India but things have not worked out well for the company. Starlink has been ordered to refund all money to customers who have pre-booked their connections. This was because the company was not licensed to sell services in India. Now, there has been no communication or announcement from Starlink about launching internet services in India.
The Indian telecom regulator is currently working on recommendations for the method of allocating spectrum to satcom players. The government wants to understand whether spectrum can be allocated to Stacom players through administrative spectrum allocation or a spectrum auction route is best.
