The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) has announced that it is already in talks with SpaceX about bringing Starlink to Sri Lanka, according to a report from ReadMe.
The TRCSL said the first round of discussions is heavily focused on regulatory mandates and important precursors for introducing the service – which it also says could be introduced in the “near future.”
Starlink, which is SpaceX’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite internet service, has more than 1,600 satellites in its orbiting, internet-giving satellite constellation.
Preliminary engagement was initiated with SpaceX in exploring the introduction of Starlink Internet Services in @SriLanka and the first round of discussions focused on regulatory aspects and prerequisites of initiating the service in the near future for Sri Lanka #Lka #trcsl
— TRCSL (@TRCSL) November 29, 2021
The affordability of Starlink service in Sri Lanka may not be clear cut, however, with initial hardware costing buyers in the country more than LKR 120,000 for the dish and router necessary for connecting to Starlink’s satellites, in addition to the cost of the first month of service.
Starlink unveiled its second-generation dish last week, featuring a rectangular shape and a lighter overall build.
SpaceX also launched 53 more Starlink satellites into orbit earlier this month, marking the ninth successful launch and landing sequence for the company’s Falcon 9 booster.
While SpaceX was in talks with nearby India, the Indian government asked SpaceX a few days ago to stop accepting pre-orders in the country, though it’s unclear what caused the sudden change when over 5,000 prospective users in the country have already pre-ordered the service.
