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Starlink satellite internet may reach India sooner than later as evident with SpaceX founder Elon Musk teaser on Twitter. Starlink is a programme started by SpaceX to provide internet connectivity using a constellation of satellites, the first two of which were launched in February 2018. Presently it is available in 14 regions including Australia, Canada, Chile, Portugal, UK, and US, among others. Seemingly the Indian market will get to experience this satellite internet very soon.
OnsetDigital (@Tryonset) on Twitter asked Elon Musk when Starlink services will launch in India. To which Musk replied, “Just figuring out the regulatory approval process.” It seems like plans are underway to bring Starlink to India. The service will give subscribers internet connectivity via the constellation of SpaceX's mini-satellites. As per latest update, there is no timeline on when the service will be available in India and how long will the regulatory approvals take time to get approved.
Starlink is currently in beta phase in the regions where it is available. As part of the beta program, there is no download limit and speeds can vary from 50Mbps to 150Mbps. What's interesting though is that it has a claimed latency of 20ms to 40ms in most locations. The website states, “As we launch more satellites, install more ground stations and improve our networking software, data speed, latency and uptime will improve dramatically.”
Since these mini-satellites are in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), they are over 60 times closer to Earth than traditional satellites, which is the reason they deliver lower latency connectivity. Back in November 2018, SpaceX won US FCC approval for 7,000 Starlink satellites and was subsequently met with concerns over these new satellites disrupting the Earth's view of the cosmos and causing issues for astronomers. SpaceX, however, confirmed that its Starlink constellation will have no affect on the view of space.
The Starlink kit includes a Starlink dish, Wi-Fi router, power supply, cables, and mounting tripod. It requires a clear view of the sky to connect and an app, available on iOS and Android, for the setup and monitoring process.
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