Starlink Clarifies India Pricing was a ‘Glitch’ and Only Dummy Data

Following a setup error that showed Starlink's India pricing on its local website, the business announced on December 8 that the issue has been resolved and that the figures do not accurately represent the cost of Starlink service in India. The Starlink India website launched with service prices for Indian clients earlier in the day. The monthly cost of the satellite-based internet service is INR 8,600, and new users must pay INR 34,000 for a hardware package.

In an X post, SpaceX Vice President and Senior Director of Starlink Business Operations Lauren Dreyer stated that the Starlink India website is not operational, service prices for Indian clients have not yet been disclosed, and the company is not accepting orders from Indian consumers. She explained that although dummy test data was momentarily shown due to a configuration error, such figures do not accurately represent the price of Starlink service in India. The error was promptly resolved.

India a Key Market for Starlink

Dreyer said that Starlink's staff are concentrating on securing final government approvals to activate service (and the website), and they are excited to provide high-speed internet to the Indian populace.  In an effort to reach customers in areas where terrestrial broadband is still problematic, Starlink highlights characteristics like plug-and-play installation, over 99.9% uptime, tolerance to extreme weather, and no data limitations.

The company's recent hiring activity also suggests that operations will be ramped up in anticipation of launch. SpaceX described hiring as a component of a larger worldwide expansion strategy when it announced the opening of four Bengaluru-based posts at the end of October: Payments Manager, Accounting Manager, Senior Treasury Analyst, and Tax Manager.

Starlink Signed Lol with Government of Maharashtra

A Letter of Intent (LoI) was previously signed by the Maharashtra government and Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited to formally work together on the deployment of satellite-based internet services for government institutions, rural communities, and vital public infrastructure in remote and underserved areas and aspirational districts in Maharashtra, including Gadchiroli, Nandurbar, Dharashiv, and Washim.

Ashish Shelar, the state minister of information technology, and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis were present when the LoI was signed. The Government of Maharashtra signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with Starlink Satellite Communications Private Limited, making Maharashtra the first Indian state to formally collaborate with Starlink. CM Fadnavis wrote on his official X handle that it was great to welcome Lauren Dreyer, Vice President, Starlink, to Mumbai.

With the most communication satellites in the world, Elon Musk's Starlink is one of the biggest businesses in the ICT sector. "It is our honour that the company is arriving in India and partnering with Maharashtra," said Chief Minister Fadnavis.