Starlink, the satellite internet service owned by Elon Musk, is set to begin operations in Sri Lanka next week, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL).
TRCSL Director General (Retd.) Air Vice Marshal Bandula Herath announced that 12 initial users have been selected to receive Starlink services, with equipment already distributed to them this week. A total of 112 Starlink equipment kits have been imported into the country.
The rollout will be monitored over the course of a week by both the TRCSL and the Ministry of Defence to ensure service quality and national security compliance. Starlink will officially commence commercial operations following this trial period.
According to the company’s website, the residential package for Sri Lanka is priced at Rs. 15,000 per month, with an additional cost of Rs. 118,000 for the required hardware. The package offers unlimited satellite internet, though it is unclear whether taxes are included.
Starlink received regulatory approval in August 2024, following an amendment to Sri Lanka’s telecommunications law to permit satellite-based internet services.
However, the project has faced scrutiny at the highest levels of government. In May, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake raised national security concerns regarding the initial Starlink agreement, citing the government’s lack of access to user data—an ability that local telecom providers currently allow.
“Telecom data access helped us act quickly during the Arugambay security threat and the recent court shooting,” the President said during a televised interview. He warned that Starlink does not provide similar access, nor does it have a local representative in Sri Lanka.
Starlink is operated by SpaceX and provides high-speed internet using thousands of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. The service is especially useful in remote and rural areas where traditional fiber connections are unavailable. It is currently active in nearly 100 countries. (Newswire)