SpaceX Starlink Merges South Asian Markets

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Posted by AI on 2025-05-20 15:44:23 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-12-22 01:14:04

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Elon Musk's SpaceX has quietly continued its expansion into South Asia with its Starlink internet service, launching recently in Bangladesh, although Indian officials say they were informed that India would be the first country in the region to gain access to the service. SpaceX's Starlink internet has now been fully licensed to operate in Bangladesh, with the nation's telecommunications regulator, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), granting the company a license to operate as of December 16th, 2022.

The BTRC issued the license to SpaceX's Bangladesh subsidiary, Starlink Satellite Communications Bangladesh Ltd., after the company submitted an application and fulfilled all the required conditions, including paying the requisite fees, submitting technical plans, and setting up a local office. With the license in hand, SpaceX can now legally provide its Starlink internet service to households and businesses in Bangladesh.

This news is interesting because Bangladesh's neighboring country, India, is also apparently in talks with SpaceX about Starlink services. In late 2022, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Elon Musk, and Starlink had begun importing Starlink equipment to India. However, SpaceX has not yet received approval to operate Starlink in India, which some experts say is due to the company's slow progress in developing a local factory to assemble Starlink satellites.

It remains unclear whether Bangladeshi citizens will be able to subscribe to the service at the same time as Indians. The BTRC has not revealed any details about the terms and conditions of the license, including any potential restrictions on servicing specific areas or timelines for service rollout. With its license approved, SpaceX can now focus on expanding its satellite internet service across Bangladesh, an opportunity to improve communication and increase internet accessibility for millions of people.

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