Elon Musk's Starlink’s ₹840 Internet: Affordable Plans, Pricey Setup

Reports suggest that Starlink may introduce unlimited data plans in India at a promotional price of under ₹840 per month. This aggressive pricing strategy aims to attract a large user base quickly, despite high spectrum and licensing costs.

However, the hardware costs could be a hurdle—Starlink kits are priced between ₹21,300 and ₹32,400, making them significantly more expensive than traditional broadband options in India. While Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES have already secured regulatory approvals, Starlink is still awaiting final clearance from IN-SPACe, India's space regulatory body.

Another challenge is capacity constraints—India's geographic satellite coverage is estimated at only 0.7% to 0.8% of global satellite capacity, meaning only 700 to 800 satellites would cover the country at any given time.

If Starlink manages to overcome these hurdles, it could be a game-changer for rural and remote connectivity in India.

Starlink is still awaiting final approval from IN-SPACe, India’s space regulatory body, before it can officially launch.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has proposed steep fees, including a ₹500 annual urban user charge, a 4% levy on adjusted gross revenue (AGR), and a minimum annual fee of ₹3,500 per MHz of satellite spectrum.

India’s geographic satellite coverage is estimated at only 0.7% to 0.8% of global satellite capacity, meaning only 700 to 800 satellites would cover the country at any given time.

Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio-SES have already secured regulatory approvals and could challenge Starlink’s market entry.

Despite the ₹840 monthly plan, satellite broadband in India is still 7 to 18 times more expensive than conventional fiber broadband services.