Elon Musk’s satellite Starlink internet service is finally scheduled to arrive in India, thanks to a deal between Bharti Airtel and SpaceX. Airtel has confirmed an agreement with SpaceX to provide Starlink’s high-speed internet services to India, subject to regulatory permissions. Starlink, which has long been interested in entering the Indian market, will collaborate with Airtel to examine several options, including linking rural areas, schools, and companies via its satellite network.
Airtel and SpaceX partnership
Airtel and SpaceX’s collaboration would look into ways to expand the availability of Starlink’s services throughout India. This might entail introducing Starlink into Airtel’s retail network and investigating how the satellite service could complement Airtel’s existing internet services. While there are no definite specifics on the speed and pricing for Indian users, the collaboration intends to reach remote areas where traditional internet services are not readily available.
The news follows a meeting between Elon Musk and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington, where they discussed technological and space breakthroughs. However, SpaceX’s Starlink must still obtain final approval before starting its service in India.
What is Starlink?
Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet project, intends to provide high-speed internet via a massive network of low-Earth orbit satellites. Unlike standard cable-based internet services, Starlink is intended to provide fast and dependable internet connectivity in rural and difficult-to-reach locations. The service operates by connecting users to a constellation of satellites that transmit data to and from Earth, avoiding many of the issues encountered by traditional broadband networks.
Starlink’s technology is viewed as a solution for locations where constructing internet infrastructure is challenging owing to geography or location. The service has already been launched in various countries, and plans to expand its satellite network for broader global coverage.
What can Indians expect?
Starlink, when available in India, is planned to offer download speeds ranging from 25 to 220 Mbps and upload rates ranging from 5 to 20 Mbps. On land, latency typically ranges between 25 and 50 milliseconds, making it ideal for a wide range of online activities, including video streaming, gaming, and virtual meetings. The cooperation with Airtel also opens the door to greater access, particularly in rural areas of India that are underserved by present internet providers.