Starlink to focus on 10 rural LS constituencies for broadband connectivity: India head

New Delhi, Oct 3 : Elon Musk-owned satellite company Starlink, will focus on 10 rural Lok Sabha constituencies to provide internet services, according to a top company executive.

According to newly-appointed India head of Starlink satellite communications (Satcom) service Sanjay Bhargava, it is also looking to hold virtual conversations with Members of Parliament, ministers and top government officials.

"In October, I am also keen to have 30-minute virtual conversations with MPs, Ministers, Secretaries to GOI, or Principal Secretaries to states to see if they think 100 per cent broadband would help improve lives," Bhargava said in a LinkedIn post on Sunday.

"We will probably focus on ten rural Lok Sabha constituencies for 80 per cent of the Starlink terminals shipped to India. The number of preorders from rural constituencies will be one factor that helps us select focus constituencies," he added.

The company's satellite broadband services are being targeted in India in 2022, although its availability is subject to regulatory approvals.

The firm will shortly apply to the Indian government for a licence to launch its Starlink satellite broadband services in the country and is aiming to touch 200,000 active terminals by December 2022.

Starlink shipped 100,000 terminals to customers recently. The project aims to provide global broadband connectivity via a constellation of satellites.

SpaceX began satellite launches in November 2019 and opened its $99 per month beta programme for select customers around a year later.

Since that period, SpaceX has launched more than 1,700 satellites to date and -- in addition to the 100,000 shipped terminals -- has received over half a million additional orders for the service.