- The short: where approvals stand and what’s pending
- Coverage & availability: who likely gets it first
- Pricing scenarios (kit + monthly) you can budget with
- Starlink vs Jio/Airtel FWA — which suits whom
- Watchlist: spectrum method, gateways, and timelines
The short
- Greenlights in place: Starlink has a Unified/GMPCS licence and IN-SPACe authorisation, clearing the door for commercial rollout once spectrum and gateways are finalised.
- Rollout path: Phased launch, with rural/remote and hard-to-serve regions prioritised; urban take-up will hinge on pricing vs FWA/fiber.
- Plan like this: Budget with scenario ranges (kit + monthly) and revisit once tariff cards are official.
What the approvals actually enable
- Operate Licence lets Starlink offer satcom broadband in India (subject to spectrum assignment and security conditions).
- Build local Authorisation requires India-based gateways/earth stations and data localisation—traffic can’t be mirrored/decrypted abroad.
- Next mile Expect ground infra build-out + enterprise pilots before wider consumer on-boarding.
Coverage & availability (phased)
Likely first focus
- Remote districts (mountain, island, border)
- Schools/PHCs and enterprise links where fiber/fixed wireless is weak
- Disaster-prone zones needing resilient back-up
Urban context
- Competes with fiber and FWA; value hinges on portability/uptime more than peak speed
- High-rise dish placement, HOA rules, and clear-sky line-of-sight matter
Pricing scenarios — kit + monthly (illustrative)
Official India prices are to be announced. Use this table to stress-test household/SME budgets vs FWA. Replace with live tariffs on launch.
| Scenario | One-time kit (₹) | Monthly (₹) | Primary use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 25,000–30,000 | 2,000–2,500 | School/PHC, rural SOHO | Assumes entry kit promo + rural focus |
| Base | 30,000–35,000 | 3,000–3,500 | Households w/ no fiber/FWA | Closest to reported global parity ranges |
| Pro (mobility) | 45,000–60,000 | 4,000–6,000 | Farms, construction, media, backup | Premium hardware/roaming add-ons |
Reality check: Dishes are one-time; monthly is the bigger driver over a 24-month horizon. FX/duties matter; rural subsidies or pilots can change the math.
Starlink vs Jio/Airtel FWA (what fits whom)
| Factor | Starlink (satcom) | Jio/Airtel FWA (5G AirFiber) |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | Nationwide footprint once gateways live; best in open sky | City/town coverage pockets; depends on 5G signal |
| Upfront | Dish/kit cost (higher) | Low/zero device fee on long-term plans |
| Monthly | Higher; portability premium | ₹699–₹899+GST common for 40–100 Mbps tiers |
| Latency | ~30–60 ms typical (LEO) | Good when signal strong; can vary indoors |
| Best for | Rural/remote, mobility, fiber-dark areas, resilient backup | Urban/semi-urban homes where fiber not yet pulled |
Tip If fiber is available, it remains the cheapest/reliability workhorse. Consider satcom as a backup or for locations that fiber/FWA can’t reach.
Watchlist (update before publish)
- Spectrum method: administrative assignment vs auction; timing affects tariffs.
- Gateway map: where earth stations go live (state-wise).
- Tariff cards: consumer vs enterprise SKUs; rural pilots/discounts.