Elon Musk-backed SpaceX’s satellite-based internet service Starlink has started taking pre-orders in India. It is expected to start operation in India by 2022. Interested users will have to pay $99 (roughly around Rs 7300) for the pre-orders. The amount is refundable. This payment includes the installment of the Starlink kit. Payment can be done via credit card, debit card as well as Apple Pay.
Users can check the availability of the service by entering a postal code or city name. The service is expected to be made available in some parts of India by 2022.
Starlink’s website claims that orders would be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. The service will also have to go through several regulatory approvals. This is the reason the company isn’t confirming any timeframe for the launch.
SpaceX has already launched more than 1,000 satellites into Earth’s orbit and it will launch many more soon. The company has confirmed that it is testing to boost internet speed to 300 Mbps this year. For now, the company offers 50 Mbps to 150 Mbps with latency between 20ms and 40ms.
I am not sure how many people would pre-order for Starlink because we still don’t know when to expect the service in India. Several people paid for Tesla cars back in 2016 and are still waiting.
