Elon Musk-backed Starlink broadband under scrutiny by DoT for commercial usage in India

As SpaceX continues to send Starlink satellites to space to build a high-speed internet network across the globe, sources have reported that the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) in India is examining the possibility of whether the Elon Musk-backed company is violating existing telecom and technology laws of the land.

As per reports, possible violations of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, and the Satellite Communication (SatCom) Policy of India, 2000 are being looked into by the Indian government. Examinations into whether Starlink fulfills consumer interest and national security are also on DoT's radar.

Notably, the development comes days after President of Broadband India Forum (BIF) TV Ramachandran (which represents Google, Amazon, and Facebook) urged the TRAI to block SpaceX Technologies from pre-selling its services in India noting that it did not have the necessary permissions or authorizations from either the ISRO or the DoT.

In March, SpaceX opened up pre-orders for its beta Starlink internet service in India for $99 or around ₹7,000. Aiming to provide 'groundbreaking internet speed at cheaper rates even in remote areas', Starlink has stated that the internet would in all probabilities come to India by next year. 

About Starlink 

In layman's terms, Starlink is a satellite internet constellation being constructed in space by Musk’s aerospace company, SpaceX to provide high-speed internet access to remote areas and villages across the world that do not have good internet services in their locations. According to Starlink's official website, the Elon Musk-headed company has started delivering initial beta services in the United States and select parts of the world as they slowly continue to deploy more and more satellites till they can cover the majority of the world's population by 2021.

As of now, the service is in closed beta and customers can register on the Starlink website to get a chance for access to the beta version. The Starlink website has stated, "Starlink is available to a limited number of users per coverage area at this time. Orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis." So far, SpaceX has deployed more than 1000 Starlink internet satellites covering major metropolitan cities of the world through its Falcon rockets.