Starlink's Limited Impact on India Telecom Market

Starlink, led by Elon Musk, is limited to 20 lakh connections in India, minimizing its impact on BSNL. The Union Minister stated that Starlink's services target rural areas, with high upfront and monthly costs. Meanwhile, BSNL has completed its 4G rollout without plans for tariff hikes.

Union Minister Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar has indicated that Elon Musk's satellite communications company, Starlink, would be restricted to only 20 lakh connections in India. The constraints are intended to mitigate any significant threat to state-run Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) and other telecom operators in the region.

The Minister of State for Telecom made the comments during a BSNL review meeting, elaborating that Starlink would offer internet speeds up to 200 Mbps. He suggested that the high upfront and monthly costs of about Rs 3,000 would make it less competitive for mainstream users.

Aiming for underserved rural and remote areas, Starlink poses less of a threat to BSNL, which holds a significant presence in these regions. Meanwhile, BSNL has recently completed its 4G rollout and has no current plans to increase tariffs, prioritizing market expansion instead.

(With inputs from agencies.)