Starlink now available in Sri Lanka; how much money will Elon Musk's satellite internet cost families?

Elon Musk's Starlink internet service is now available in Sri Lanka, the billionaire announced on Wednesday. The news was broken on X (formerly Twitter), the microblogging site owned by Musk.

 

“Starlink now available in Sri Lanka!" the X post read, accompanied by an image of the island nation's map with key cities highlighted to signal accessibility. Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Kandy, Kalutara, Matara, and Batticaloa were all highlighted, along with the capital city of Colombo.

 

According to media reports, Sri Lanka’s telecommunications law was amended in 2024 to ensure Starlink received regulatory approval. Last week, the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) confirmed that the US-based satellite internet service would soon be available to the public. The announcement reportedly came after a one-week inspection of the service and several rounds of discussions. 

 

 

It was reportedly revealed back then that a pilot project on Starlink, using 10 devices, was already underway.  It was also stated that the TRCSL and Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence will oversee Starlink’s service during the initial operational period to monitor security standards and service quality.

 

How much will Starlink satellite internet cost Sri Lankans?

 

Citing Starlink’s website, a Sri Lankan media outlet reported that the unlimited internet "residential package" meant for domestic use would cost Sri Lankans Rs. 15,000 per month (₹4,285.80). The hardware required to establish the connection would cost an additional Rs. 118,000, the report added.

 

What is Starlink?

Starlink, a division of Musk’s SpaceX, is one of the pioneers of satellite constellations using low Earth orbit (LEO) to deliver broadband internet. LEO allows it to provide high-speed, low-latency internet access even in remote areas where traditional broadband infrastructure is difficult or unprofitable.

World