Glitch Made Dummy Data Visible: Starlink On India Pricing Leak

Hours after Starlink’s website briefly displayed residential tariff plans for India, the satellite communications (satcom) operator has now claimed that an internal “config glitch” made dummy test data visible.

In a post on X, vice-president of Starlink’s business operations, Lauren Dreyer, claimed that Starlink India website is yet to go live and the pricing for local customers has not been yet announced. 

“The Starlink India website is not live, service pricing for customers in India has not yet been announced, and we are not taking orders from customers in India. There was a config glitch that briefly made dummy test data visible, but those numbers do not reflect what the cost of Starlink service will be in India. The glitch was quickly fixed,” added the post. 

Dreyer also said that the company is currently focussed on obtaining the final government authorisation to operationalise satcom services in the country. 

This comes close on the heels of its website purportedly revealing how much its satellite internet service will cost in India. 

As per the now-taken-down webpage, the monthly tariff for the residential plan was priced at INR 8,600, excluding a one-time installation cost and hardware kit worth INR 34,000.

Additionally, as per the webpage, Starlink India was offering a 30-day free trial, allowing potential customers to test the service before committing long-term. The company’s website also mentioned a business plan for enterprises. 

The webpage, which has since been taken down, targeted families seeking “high-speed internet connection” in areas where traditional broadband options are inconsistent or unavailable. The company also claimed to offer over 99.9% uptime, weather-resilient performance, and unlimited data. 

The development comes as Starlink gears up to launch satcom services in the country. In September, it was reported that the satcom operator is preparing to conduct spectrum tests from its Navi Mumbai terminal.

In total, the Elon Musk-led company plans to set up 20 earth stations or gateways in the country across Noida, Chennai, and Navi Mumbai. Of these, three sites are already under construction. The gateway infrastructure will need at least 50,000 user terminals, which are expected to be imported from Texas, Los Angeles, and Seattle in the US.

On the regulatory front, Starlink, in August, received provisional clearance to build ground infrastructure and carry out security compliance tests. Prior to this, the company also secured the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) licence and other authorisations from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe). 

However, the company is yet to roll out its services as the telecom department (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) are yet to resolve key issues around spectrum pricing.

Meanwhile, Starlink has partnered with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to use Aadhaar-based authentication for customer verification. As per reports, the company, with its current capacity, can onboard up to 20 Lakh users in India.