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Can Starlink’s entry be another turning point?
Two of the greatest minds in Bangladesh -- Dr Muhammad Yunus and Iqbal Quadir -- came together for an unconventional idea: providing mobile phones, then exorbitantly priced status symbols for the urban elite, to poor rural women in the mid-90s.
Can Starlink’s entry be another turning point?
Two of the greatest minds in Bangladesh -- Dr Muhammad Yunus and Iqbal Quadir -- came together for an unconventional idea: providing mobile phones, then exorbitantly priced status symbols for the urban elite, to poor rural women in the mid-90s.
What they envisioned was made possible by the entry of a Norwegian telecommunications company onto the shores of the Bay of Bengal and their idea turned out to be a game-changer.
Telenor's arrival through Grameenphone was not just a means of poverty alleviation for many women, it was a pivotal moment that transformed the country's telecommunications landscape.
Its entry, along with the efforts of other mobile operators, democratised mobile connectivity, expanded rural access and played a crucial role in bolstering economic growth.
Today, a similar disruption could be on the horizon with Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite-based internet service.
With Chief Adviser Professor Yunus recently engaging in talks with Elon Musk, followed by his post on X and Musk's "looking forward to it" response, and the telecom regulator's draft guidelines for NGSO satellites being released, Starlink's entry seems on the horizon.
The pressing question now is whether its arrival will be as transformative as Telenor's. And while the answer remains uncertain, one thing is clear: it undoubtedly poses itself as a potential watershed moment.
Starlink has the potential to revolutionise broadband internet the same way Grameenphone impacted mobile access in rural areas.
However, since spectrum-dependent mobile services require heavy infrastructural investment for wide deployment, internet access remains unreliable in remote regions despite high mobile penetration.
The country's telecom policy has also long hindered broadband expansion into remote areas.
However, Starlink's satellite-based model removes the need for costly infrastructure, bringing high-speed connectivity to underserved regions and unlocking new economic opportunities.
Whereas Grameenphone's entry empowered rural entrepreneurs, particularly women, Starlink could represent a quantum leap for digital businesses, e-commerce, remote work, and online education -- sectors that remain constrained by poor internet access.
Even in cities, entrepreneurs and freelancers who rely on high-speed internet often find existing services inadequate. Internet speed and reliability remain major concerns, limiting productivity and growth in the digital economy.
During the July revolution, when nationwide internet shutdowns were imposed by the Awami League government to quell a mass uprising, some executives sent officials abroad to procure Starlink kits, using them with roaming services from other countries.
This highlights the growing demand for an alternative, resilient connectivity solution beyond traditional telecom infrastructure. Besides, Starlink also offers the invaluable benefit of enhancing disaster-resilient communication services.
When a cyclone, flood, or other natural disaster strikes, affected communities often lose access to mobile networks when they need it most. This disruption occurs primarily due to prolonged power outages, as most base transceiver stations have battery backups lasting only four to eight hours.
As a result, thousands of towers go offline, leaving people stranded without communication.
Starlink, being satellite-based, could provide uninterrupted internet access during such crises, ensuring more effective disaster response and greater resilience.
Besides, with Starlink, Bangladesh's burgeoning digital economy -- particularly in freelancing, software exports and AI -- could significantly leap forward.
Reliable high-speed internet would eliminate key bottlenecks for IT professionals and start-ups, strengthening Bangladesh's position in the global digital economy.
Although Starlink could disrupt the broadband market by challenging established ISPs and mobile internet providers, it will also foster competition and improve service quality. Considering the greater interests of the internet business, there should be no barriers to the entry of new technology.
Yet, regulatory hurdles are now the main obstacle hindering Starlink from making a smooth entry.
The proposed guidelines for NGSO (Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit) Systems present two major concerns -- legal interception and bandwidth procurement from International Internet Gateways (IIGs).
Firstly, the requirement for lawful interception contradicts Starlink's fundamental design and commitment to privacy. Unlike traditional ISPs and mobile operators that operate within a nation's regulatory framework, Starlink's encrypted, direct-to-satellite model makes centralised interception difficult.
Insisting on such compliance risks deterring investment or delaying its entry.
Secondly, mandating bandwidth purchases from IIGs undermines the very purpose of Starlink -- independent, direct satellite connectivity. This not only adds unnecessary costs but also contradicts global best practices for satellite broadband deployment.
Regulators must adopt a smarter, future-proof approach instead of applying legacy telecom regulations to disruptive technologies. BTRC officials must move beyond outdated telecom-era regulations and embrace innovation.
Forcing Starlink into legacy frameworks like IIG bandwidth procurement and legal interception shows a lack of adaptability that stifles progress instead of fostering competition and digital inclusion.
Besides, the NGSO market is rapidly evolving, with several key players competing to provide global broadband services.
SpaceX's Starlink leads with over 7,000 satellites in orbit and a customer base exceeding 4.6 million as of 2024. Amazon's Project Kuiper has received preliminary approval to launch over 3,000 satellites and aims to enter the market soon. OneWeb, backed by Eutelsat, is deploying a 'constellation' to offer global connectivity.
Mobile operators, best positioned to partner with satellite internet providers, are already on the move as well. Banglalink and Robi Axiata are currently in discussion with operators such as Starlink and OneWeb to explore potential collaborations in Bangladesh.
Given these factors, Bangladesh should have facilitated the entry of all such NGSO operators to foster competition.
If regulatory barriers are removed, satellite internet could be offered for just $10 to $30 per month, similar to Kenya, but far lower than the United States' monthly service fee of $120.
Additionally, one kit, which can currently be purchased for over $500 or rented for $15 in Kenya, can be used by a whole community.
A Starlink connection can be shared with neighbours by extending Wi-Fi using routers or extenders, setting up a wired ethernet connection, or using a mesh network for broader coverage.
This means that a small community could chip in to buy or rent one kit and share the cost of a subscription among themselves, shaping its entry into Bangladesh as a transformative moment.
Two of the greatest minds in Bangladesh -- Dr Muhammad Yunus and Iqbal Quadir -- came together for an unconventional idea: providing mobile phones, then exorbitantly priced status symbols for the urban elite, to poor rural women in the mid-90s.
What they envisioned was made possible by the entry of a Norwegian telecommunications company onto the shores of the Bay of Bengal and their idea turned out to be a game-changer.
Telenor's arrival through Grameenphone was not just a means of poverty alleviation for many women, it was a pivotal moment that transformed the country's telecommunications landscape.
Its entry, along with the efforts of other mobile operators, democratised mobile connectivity, expanded rural access and played a crucial role in bolstering economic growth.
Today, a similar disruption could be on the horizon with Starlink, Elon Musk's satellite-based internet service.
With Chief Adviser Professor Yunus recently engaging in talks with Elon Musk, followed by his post on X and Musk's "looking forward to it" response, and the telecom regulator's draft guidelines for NGSO satellites being released, Starlink's entry seems on the horizon.
The pressing question now is whether its arrival will be as transformative as Telenor's. And while the answer remains uncertain, one thing is clear: it undoubtedly poses itself as a potential watershed moment.
Starlink has the potential to revolutionise broadband internet the same way Grameenphone impacted mobile access in rural areas.
However, since spectrum-dependent mobile services require heavy infrastructural investment for wide deployment, internet access remains unreliable in remote regions despite high mobile penetration.
The country's telecom policy has also long hindered broadband expansion into remote areas.
However, Starlink's satellite-based model removes the need for costly infrastructure, bringing high-speed connectivity to underserved regions and unlocking new economic opportunities.
Whereas Grameenphone's entry empowered rural entrepreneurs, particularly women, Starlink could represent a quantum leap for digital businesses, e-commerce, remote work, and online education -- sectors that remain constrained by poor internet access.
Even in cities, entrepreneurs and freelancers who rely on high-speed internet often find existing services inadequate. Internet speed and reliability remain major concerns, limiting productivity and growth in the digital economy.
During the July revolution, when nationwide internet shutdowns were imposed by the Awami League government to quell a mass uprising, some executives sent officials abroad to procure Starlink kits, using them with roaming services from other countries.
This highlights the growing demand for an alternative, resilient connectivity solution beyond traditional telecom infrastructure. Besides, Starlink also offers the invaluable benefit of enhancing disaster-resilient communication services.
When a cyclone, flood, or other natural disaster strikes, affected communities often lose access to mobile networks when they need it most. This disruption occurs primarily due to prolonged power outages, as most base transceiver stations have battery backups lasting only four to eight hours.
As a result, thousands of towers go offline, leaving people stranded without communication.
Starlink, being satellite-based, could provide uninterrupted internet access during such crises, ensuring more effective disaster response and greater resilience.
Besides, with Starlink, Bangladesh's burgeoning digital economy -- particularly in freelancing, software exports and AI -- could significantly leap forward.
Reliable high-speed internet would eliminate key bottlenecks for IT professionals and start-ups, strengthening Bangladesh's position in the global digital economy.
Although Starlink could disrupt the broadband market by challenging established ISPs and mobile internet providers, it will also foster competition and improve service quality. Considering the greater interests of the internet business, there should be no barriers to the entry of new technology.
Yet, regulatory hurdles are now the main obstacle hindering Starlink from making a smooth entry.
The proposed guidelines for NGSO (Non-Geostationary Satellite Orbit) Systems present two major concerns -- legal interception and bandwidth procurement from International Internet Gateways (IIGs).
Firstly, the requirement for lawful interception contradicts Starlink's fundamental design and commitment to privacy. Unlike traditional ISPs and mobile operators that operate within a nation's regulatory framework, Starlink's encrypted, direct-to-satellite model makes centralised interception difficult.
Insisting on such compliance risks deterring investment or delaying its entry.
Secondly, mandating bandwidth purchases from IIGs undermines the very purpose of Starlink -- independent, direct satellite connectivity. This not only adds unnecessary costs but also contradicts global best practices for satellite broadband deployment.
Regulators must adopt a smarter, future-proof approach instead of applying legacy telecom regulations to disruptive technologies. BTRC officials must move beyond outdated telecom-era regulations and embrace innovation.
Forcing Starlink into legacy frameworks like IIG bandwidth procurement and legal interception shows a lack of adaptability that stifles progress instead of fostering competition and digital inclusion.
Besides, the NGSO market is rapidly evolving, with several key players competing to provide global broadband services.
SpaceX's Starlink leads with over 7,000 satellites in orbit and a customer base exceeding 4.6 million as of 2024. Amazon's Project Kuiper has received preliminary approval to launch over 3,000 satellites and aims to enter the market soon. OneWeb, backed by Eutelsat, is deploying a 'constellation' to offer global connectivity.
Mobile operators, best positioned to partner with satellite internet providers, are already on the move as well. Banglalink and Robi Axiata are currently in discussion with operators such as Starlink and OneWeb to explore potential collaborations in Bangladesh.
Given these factors, Bangladesh should have facilitated the entry of all such NGSO operators to foster competition.
If regulatory barriers are removed, satellite internet could be offered for just $10 to $30 per month, similar to Kenya, but far lower than the United States' monthly service fee of $120.
Additionally, one kit, which can currently be purchased for over $500 or rented for $15 in Kenya, can be used by a whole community.
A Starlink connection can be shared with neighbours by extending Wi-Fi using routers or extenders, setting up a wired ethernet connection, or using a mesh network for broader coverage.
This means that a small community could chip in to buy or rent one kit and share the cost of a subscription among themselves, shaping its entry into Bangladesh as a transformative moment.
