Telecom Department starts scrutiny of Elon Musk's Starlink satellite internet service offer in India

Elon Musk-led SpaceX's offer to pre-sell its Starlink satellite internet service in India is being scrutinized by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to know if it flouts any of the country's existing telecom and technology laws. Musk's SpaceX has offered pre-orders for the beta version of its Starlink internet services in India for a "fully refundable deposit" of $99 (Rs 7,000).

Following this, the DoT is trying to assess if the beta service offer violates any provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, the Indian Wireless Telegraphy Act, 1933, India's Satcom policy, 2000, and the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000, reported The Economic Times citing a senior DoT official.

According to the official, the offer does not "immediately appear" to violate Section 4 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885. "as SpaceX is yet to establish, maintain or work a telegraph in the Indian jurisdiction".

Under the Act, the term 'telegraph' means any appliance, instrument, material, or apparatus used or capable of use for transmission or reception of signs, signals, writing, images, and sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, visual or other electromagnetic emissions, Radio waves or Hertzian waves, galvanic, electric or magnetic means.

Earlier in March, Starlink started accepting pre-orders for Starlink for $99 (around Rs 7,200). The Starlink kit includes a wifi router, power supply, cables, and mounting tripod, the company said in its website's FAQ section.