In a bid to get policymakers to back its satellite broadband venture, Elon Musk-owned Starlink on Sunday said it will focus on 10 rural Lok Sabha constituencies for 80 per cent of the Starlink terminals shipped to India.

Starlink's India Country Director Sanjay Bhargava said in a social media post: “In October, I am also keen to have 30-minute virtual conversations with MPs, ministers, secretaries to GOI (government of India), or principal secretaries to States to see if they think 100 per cent broadband would help improve lives. We will probably focus on 10 rural Lok Sabha constituencies for 80 per cent of the Starlink terminals shipped to India.” Bhargava was named Starlink's India head just three days ago.

Starlink's move to pre-book customers has come under the scanner as the company has not yet taken the licences to offer services. Besides, the Centre is yet to announce the policy for satellite communication services.

Delhi-based NGO Telecom Watchdog wrote to the Department of Telecommunications on September 29, likening Starlink asking customers to deposit ₹7,350 per person, so that they can be served on a first-come first-serve basis, to a Ponzi scheme.

India plan

Recently, Bhargava had announced that Starlink aims to commence operations from December, with over 2 lakh active terminals. Starlink, which had opened pre-orders from March for customers to enter the priority queue, has crossed 5,000 pre-orders as of October 1. Starlink believes customers putting down the deposit will help the company on the licensing and the regulation front.

A former Paypal executive, Bhargava said he will engage with CEOs of large telcos, banks, financial services, healthcare, education and NGOs to refine the plan for 100 per cent Broadband and Measurable Real Outcomes (MeTROs) to improve people’s lives.

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