Page 64 - SAMENA Trends - December 2023

SATELLITE UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Starlink to Make Entry to Bangladesh

The government has decided to award a license to Starlink,
operated by American aerospace company SpaceX, the brainchild
of billionaire Elon Musk, in a development that could create some
competition in the internet business in Bangladesh. Starlink
is a satellite internet constellation which provides broadband
connections to people in over 60 countries. "In principle, I have
told the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission
(BTRC) to provide a license to Starlink," Zunaid Ahmed Palak,
state minister for telecom and ICT, told The Daily Star. "We want
to provide equal internet services for people in cities and villages.
This will ensure internet connection to remote areas, especially
villages, chars and islands," he added. The decision came at
Palak's first meeting with the BTRC after he was entrusted with
the responsibilities of the Posts and Telecommunications Division
following Mustafa Jabbar's resignation from the post last week.
Starlink's arrival in areas with traditional telecom and cable internet
will foster competition, potentially leading to improved service
quality and expanded access. As the satellite-based infrastructure
enables connectivity in regions where traditional telecom and
cable services struggle to reach, it can empower people in
remote locations by providing them with high-speed internet,
thereby unlocking educational, economic, and communication
opportunities. However, as mobile internet and broadband have
already permeated almost all areas of Bangladesh, commercial crore internet subscribers in Bangladesh, with 1.25 broadband
success is likely to be limited. The cost of the Starlink internet internet connections and 11.94 crore mobile internet connections.
is also prohibitively high in the context of Bangladesh, costing Md Emdadul Hoque, president of the Internet Service Provider
about $120 per month in most locations while the initial hardware Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), urged the government to
costs reach up to $599, according to its website. From local ISPs, consult all stakeholders before taking this decision. "Our services
5mbps broadband costs about Tk 500 per month while mobile are now everywhere in Bangladesh, except some islands. So,
internet cost between Tk 400-500 per 30GB. Earlier, SpaceX why do we need satellite internet," he said. Shahed Alam, chief
expressed its intention to launch Starlink services in Bangladesh corporate and regulatory officer at Robi Axiata Ltd, welcomed
and its officials met with multiple government entities to this end Starlink's entry, hoping hoped it would provide services to areas
in June this year. Joel Meredith, manager for global government without access to fiber-based internet services. "We also hope
affairs at SpaceX, and Parnil Urdhwareshe, manager for global that the regulator would ensure principles of 'same rule for the
licensing and activation, made presentations on its features. In a same service', including regulations and taxation, as applicable to
demonstration to the Bangladesh Satellite Company Ltd (BSCL), all wireless service providers," he added. Fahim Mashroor, CEO of
Starlink's internet and download speeds reached about 500mbps, Bdjobs.com, said any new technology should be welcomed. "But,
according to chairman Shahjahan Mahmood. Download speeds it's very costly and very few people are likely to use it," he said. Palak
reached 150mbps in another demonstration to the ICT Division. said the decision was taken to welcome new technology but added
The BSCL collected five Starlink terminals (Starlink Kits) to analyze that prices had not yet been discussed. SpaceX, currently worth
the technology and analyze how they work during rain, fog and about $150 billion, provides satellite internet coverage to more
inclement weather. "We have seen the test results and they are than 60 countries with about 4,519 Starlink satellites currently in
good. Now they have to apply for a license," Palak added. One orbit. The company has said Starlink has more than 2 million active
of the major hurdles to getting the license was the government's customers and is available on all seven continents. On May 11, 2018,
'lawful interception requirement', which SpaceX officials were the Bangabandhu Satellite-1, Bangladesh's first and lone satellite,
asked to ensure. In Bangladesh, the law permits some government was launched into orbit at a cost of Tk 2,765 crore. In September
agencies to access or surveil telecommunication technology this year, Bangladesh signed a letter of intent with France for its
to monitor criminal activities. "We are positive. We have already second satellite, which will be an earth observation satellite. "The
given them permission for testing," BTRC Chairman Shyam Sunder BSCL's satellite, the cost of which was borne by public funds and
Sikder said. Asked about the lawful interception law, he said the commercial loans, has evidently failed. But the government has to
BTRC would ensure that all conditions under the law had been answer where it has failed, necessitating the entry of Starlink," Abu
met before awarding the license. As of October, there were 13.18 Saeed Khan, a senior policy fellow at LIRNEasia, said.

64 DECEMBER 2023