By: Staff Writer
May 28, Colombo (LNW): Elon Musk’s satellite internet service is expected to launch services in Sri Lanka this year on an invitation extended by President Ranil Wickremasighe when he met the billionaire businessman in Bali Indonesia recently, according to official sources.
Elon Musk’s Starlink internet is now open for pre-order in Sri Lanka, with the public able to reserve Starlink by paying a fully refundable US$ 99 deposit.
Starlink aims to commence service in Sri Lanka in 2024, pending regulatory approval.Orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis within each coverage area.
Starlink’s Internet Constellation is one of the biggest breakthroughs in commercial satellite history. It brings nearly broadband-capable speeds and performance using a novel configuration of small satellites that work as a constellation while orbiting the Earth much lower than traditional satellites.
As stated in an official tweet by SpaceX, Musk’s spacecraft company and the producer of Starlink, the broadband service is now available in 32 countries, including some parts of the US, Mexico, Germany, France and Spain.
According to the map posted by Starlink, countries marked ‘available’ will receive their Starlink installation package immediately. The map also has areas marked ‘waitlist’ and ‘coming soon’.
Among the countries marked ‘coming soon’ are Brazil, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh. And Sri Lanka
When entering Bangladesh as a pre-order service address on Starlink’s official website, the website brings up a deposit fee of $99, with a message saying that Starlink expects to expand service in the area in 2024.
It also adds the disclaimer that availability is dependent on regulatory approval and that orders will be accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis within each coverage area.
Starlink is a division of SpaceX that aims to provide high-speed, low-latency internet around the world. According to reports, Starlink services are especially effective in remote areas and places with little internet access.
Starlink utilises overhead satellites to boost internet connections. With the purchase of a Starlink subscription, the user will be given a satellite dish and a router. The user can then set up the devices at home to receive signals from space.
The dish can be installed on rooftops or in the backyard, and the router just needs to be connected to it. The setup of a Starlink home system is designed to be as simple as possible, with an Android and iOS Starlink app that can help users find the right location to mount the satellite dish.
According to SpaceX, Starlink is currently providing about 150 Mbps download speed and 20 Mbps upload speed with latency below 30 ms. Musk claims that when additional satellites are launched, the download speed should double to about 300 Mbps.
The first 60 Starlink satellites were released into orbit in May 2019. Since then, over 2,000 Starlink satellites have been launched, with the broadband service now being offered in 32 countries around the world.
