Elon Musk’s Starlink has ended taking any bookings for its services in India following an order from the local government. The company has apparently been ordered to stop pre-bookings after the government of India has asked the firm to obtain the appropriate licenses before continuing its operations in the region.
The order from the Indian government had been shared last month through a public advisory. In other words, the satellite based internet service provider is still not licensed in the country. As per the advisory, the central government asked the public not to pay any amount to the Elon Musk backed company. Furthermore, the government also told Starlink to stop taking bookings for its satellite internet services “with immediate effect” in India.
Now, the official Starlink pre-bookings page now reads that the company “is not yet available in your area but as we launch more satellites, we continue to expand our coverage area. Please check back for future availability in your area.” Previously, the company was accepting bookings in the region for a refundable deposit of 99 US Dollars (roughly 7,400 US Dollars). To continue its operations in the country, the firm will have to acquire the appropriate license from the Department of Telecom.
Furthermore, the government has also asked the company to comply with the Indian regulatory framework prior to launching its service in India. For those unaware, Starlink had announced a couple of months prior that it will be launching its service in India, with its focus being on rural regions. We can expect the company to obtain the “requisite licenses” since it plans to launch its services across the globe.
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