Thimphu, Dec 8 (FN Bureau) Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s company Starlink Services Private Limited has been approved to provide satellite-based internet services in Bhutan. This decision follows a meeting between the country’s Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Starlink’s Director of Global Licensing, Rebecca Hunter, during which GovTech, Bhutan’s government backed technology company, was assigned to evaluate the potential impact of introducing Starlink in the country, according to Kuensel onlineStarlink’s satellite-based technology is seen as a solution to internet access in geographically challenging areas, where traditional network infrastructure has yet to reach. The Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA) granted an internet service provider licence to Starlink Services Private Limited, an FDI company, to offer satellite-based internet in the country on Friday. As per the tariff plan announced by Bhutan Information and Media Authority yesterday, Starlink’s pricing structure includes a variety of plans tailored to residential, business, government, and mobile users, with costs ranging from BTN 3,000 (USD 35.61) to Nu 2.1 million (USD 24.8k) per month.
While Starlink is promising faster internet speeds compared to Bhutan’s existing net service providers, the affordability of its plans compared to existing providers has raised concerns about its adoption, especially for middle-income households to more affordable broadband.Musk’s company has greater appeal in the more remote and rural territories of the country, according to experts, as Starlink can expand data coverage via its satellite-based-connectivity, overcoming the obstacles posed by the mountainous terrain. The traditional network infrastructure in Bhutan is limited, and is under great strain in these areas due to the mountainous terrain which has led to several limitations in the construction of towers, leading to congestion in both urban and rural areas.Starlink’s ability to bypass these challenges by providing satellite-based internet makes it a viable option for remote households and businesses.