Starlink has become a buzzword in Sri Lanka ever since President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced his commitment to fast-track the Starlink launch application process. Meanwhile, this announcement has been accompanied by terms such as ‘costly,’ ‘unaffordable,’ ‘exclusive,’ and ‘challenging’.
Although Starlink has only recently become a much-discussed topic in Sri Lanka, preliminary engagement with SpaceX was initiated several years ago to explore the introduction of Starlink internet services in Sri Lanka. The first round of discussions, which took place in late 2021, focused on regulatory aspects and prerequisites for initiating the service in the near future, as stated by the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL).
The Sunday Morning Business spoke to State Minister of Technology Kanaka Herath about process updates of the Starlink launch.
“We can confirm that preliminary discussions are underway with Starlink regarding the provision of its services in Sri Lanka. Starlink has formally applied for authorisation and the Government is actively evaluating its proposal.
“The necessary regulatory framework and background work are in progress to facilitate a potential partnership. Although we are unable to disclose further details at this stage, we will provide updates as the situation develops,” said the State Minister.
While having a well-established and popular internet constellation like Starlink in Sri Lanka would lead to the inclusion of the country on Starlink’s availability map, it is essential to examine the necessity, usage, and affordability of the process.
The Sunday Morning Business spoke to Federation of Information Technology Industry Sri Lanka (FITIS) Chairman Indika De Zoysa, who assured that the launch and usage of Starlink in Sri Lanka were indeed practical because, as a global technology, many other countries were using it as well.
Necessity for Starlink in Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka’s current internet operators have a highly robust coverage across the nation, with local prices being competitive even in the global market. Broadband, for instance, is considered affordably priced in the country, which is also regarded as having excellent penetration for mobile phones and telecommunications with all the operators available.
Moreover, 3G and 4G coverage has reached 90% of the country, apart from the natural parks, forests, and less populated areas. This ensures 3G and 4G access in almost any part of the country, whilst good fibre ring networks are also available across the country. Accordingly, Sri Lanka’s internet coverage can be considered reasonably robust at the moment.
Nevertheless, bringing in new technologies will be helpful. Taking the fishing communities as an example, when fishers out at sea travel beyond telecommunication coverage, additional coverage will be of assistance in staying connected to those on land. In addition, in some rural areas, jungles, or other places without coverage, StarLink technology could be utilised to provide such coverage.
No infrastructure needed
Since Startlink relies on satellite communication, there is no requirement for infrastructure to be established. The user only needs to set up the Startlink box, which consists of a base, router, Starlink cable, and AC cable.
FITIS Chairman De Zoysa asserted, however, that the regulations needed to be focused on launching and implementing Starlink in Sri Lanka.
When The Sunday Morning Business spoke to Kapruka Holdings Founder and Chairman Dulith Herath, he pointed out that the existing regulations needed to be changed because Starlink was designed in such a way that it would alongside local telecommunication companies rather than compete with them.
He further said that having access to Starlink was similar to having access to Netflix, Apple Pay, and other technologies in Sri Lanka, which were global services that would eventually be available worldwide. Therefore, the sooner we caught up, the better, he added.
“Connectivity is the main problem Starlink will solve. Once you have better connectivity, it can solve or improve any connector-related problem. In addition, Starlink will have a significant impact on businesses especially,” Kapruka Holdings Chairman Herath noted.
Need for TRCSL approval
Independent cybersecurity consultant and privacy advocate Asela Waidyalankara highlighted the importance of TRCSL approval in launching Starlink in Sri Lanka. With Starlink having been in discussions with the TRCSL since 2021, he said that getting the commission’s approval was the first hurdle.
He noted that Starlink used satellite technology to beam the internet directly to a unit known as the Starlink box, through which the user could use high-speed internet. He further stated that there were inherent pros and cons to using such a technology.
Cost concerns
The official Starlink website states that the service costs $ 150 per month and $ 599 for hardware.
Speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, technology expert Kalinga Athulathmudali asserted that Starlink would be costly in Sri Lanka.
“Some regional costs are given for specific areas, but we are yet to know the price for Sri Lanka. We may not receive any special pricing. While getting the coverage and having that option are good things, the cost of acquisition is where the problem comes in. The people who can actually afford it can access better options,” he noted.
Although no infrastructure is needed, Athulathmudali highlighted that the Starlink box consumed a significant amount of power – 100 W on average – which would contribute to the cost of electricity.
The legality behind specific actions of the TRCSL was another cause for concern because Sri Lanka had a history of the Government blocking social media and Starlink was likely to have differing views on this, he noted. In addition, the service required a clear view of the sky to function properly and was weather-dependent, making it challenging to use it in apartments, Athulathmudali pointed out.
“Having Starlink as an option in the country is a great thing. However, it’s important to note that it primarily serves a niche segment. While many people might assume that satellite connections are fast, the reality is that they are often quite slow and not fast enough for businesses. Furthermore, Starlink is not a viable alternative to traditional broadband,” he said.
While having access to cutting-edge technology such as Starlink is highly beneficial, International Telecommunication Union (ITU) reports indicate that Sri Lanka ranks reasonably well in global affordability for its broadband and mobile data, being considered among the cheapest in the world. Despite this, there is a digital divide in the country, which is the gulf between those who have ready access to computers and the internet and those who do not, while some lack broadband access simply because it is unaffordable.
“The prices will not be attractive to users in Sri Lanka because they are comparatively high and are in dollars. When the dollar rises, the bill will also increase, unlike with the existing telecommunications or communication service providers,” Waidyalankara emphasised.
Usage and practical difficulties
Waidyalankara further pointed out particular instances where Starlink could be used in an efficient manner: “Although the coverage in the country is about 80%, there are specific areas lacking cellular towers – for example, nature reserves like Wilpattu and Yala. Imagine a scientist conducting research or gathering data in such areas. In such situations, Starlink would be effective for research purposes,” he highlighted.
He also noted that Starlink would be beneficial during a disaster scenario such as a tsunami or when cellular towers were malfunctioning, leaving a vacuum in terms of connectivity and communication. This made Starlink a good use case for disaster recovery situations, he highlighted. He added that it could also be used for connectivity purposes for certain commercial vessels heading out to sea.
Waidyalankara shared that specific practical difficulties of Starlink had been brought to attention by other countries such as South Africa, noting that the internet speed of Starlink would be affected by cloud cover or rain unlike traditional broadband, which posed no such challenge for consumers.
“Starlink is a welcome addition to Sri Lanka’s connectivity landscape. However, one must not assume that it is something that will solve all our connectivity problems,” Waidyalankara pointed out.
Focusing on bridging the digital divide
Despite the benefits of having Starlink within our telecommunications ecosystem, it is essential to focus on bridging the digital divide in the country as well.
“There are over 10,000 schools in the country, including those in rural areas, and not all have broadband connectivity. We can give them fibre connectivity, which is cheaper for the Government, and more stable in terms of connectivity for learning and development activities,” Waidyalankara noted.
He asserted that implementing Starlink may not be the most pragmatic solution in order to bridge the divide between those who had connectivity and those without.
“Connectivity is just one pillar in the digitisation journey. There’s a lot more that needs to be done. Therefore, policymakers must think of this in a very pragmatic manner,” Waidyalankara asserted.
Starlink is now available in Indonesia, which has a good strategy for closing the digital divide. He noted that this may represent the best mode of involvement with Starlink.
“We must be more nuanced in our policy approach to close the digital divide. If we close this divide, we will be closer to our development goals. Policy consistency and focus are some of the key criteria for doing this. Starlink is a welcome development, but it should be looked at within a larger picture,” Waidyalankara stated.
Meanwhile, speaking to The Sunday Morning Business, Information and Communication Technology Agency of Sri Lanka (ICTA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mahesh Perera said that they were currently focusing on two products – the Lanka Government Network (LGN) and the Lanka Government Cloud (LGC) – both of which they were working on maintaining and expanding to the next level.