Starlink Scrutiny: Spectrum, Subscribers, and Cross-Border Data Under Regulatory Review

The licences of 3,299 service providers across 26 categories under the ILDTS Policy 2010 are set to expire in 2027. The latest addition to the licensing framework of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission is the Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) Satellite Services Operator licence. On 29 April this year, Starlink Services Bangladesh received this licence as a single licensee entity. With a 10-year licence, the company owned by billionaire Elon Musk has secured fewer than 2,000 subscribers in two categories within the first four months of its first year of operation.

To access this satellite-based internet service, each customer has had to pay a one-time equipment setup cost of Tk 47,000. Residential customers are paying a monthly bill of Tk 6,000, while the residential lite package costs Tk 4,200. According to data submitted to the BTRC, as of 30 September, Starlink had 1,862 subscribers. Of these, 1,251 are residential users, 495 are residential lite connections, 58 are mobile (residential), 11 are premium business mobile, 20 are premium business, 1 is premium residential, 20 are enterprise, and 6 are tester customers.

For Starlink’s residential and residential lite connections, there is no fixed limit on the number of users or devices, although there are technical constraints. The number of connections depends on internet usage, as speed may decrease when more devices are used simultaneously. However, Starlink’s standard router can support up to 128 devices at the same time.

To provide services in Bangladesh, Starlink has already purchased 200 gigabits of bandwidth from Bangladesh Submarine Company PLC. It has also acquired 80 Gbps bandwidth from International Internet Gateways (IIGs). Of this, only 30 Gbps has been used by customers in Bangladesh. Questions have arisen as to where the remaining bandwidth is being utilized—whether it is being used to serve foreign markets, to establish Bangladesh as a base for expanding international services, or to gain control over both domestic and global business operations under the guise of technological advantages.

In this context, Starlink has sought permission to commercially use IPLC (International Private Leased Circuit) and to obtain unfiltered IP transit connectivity for providing services to foreign customers. However, such services are not included in its licence or guidelines. As a result, on 14 October, Starlink submitted a technical plan to the BTRC. The regulatory commission believes that the matter requires further detailed technical and regulatory review.

Earlier, on 13 August, Starlink had applied for permission to commercially use IPLC connections and to obtain unfiltered IP transit from local operators to provide services to foreign customers in neighbouring countries.

According to BTRC documents, to obtain this facility, Starlink must implement a clear technical mechanism to separate domestic and foreign data traffic. Its application to use IPLC connections seeks approval for dedicated international data links enabling direct transmission between Bangladesh and other countries. Additionally, Starlink has requested access to unfiltered IP transit from local operators.

Amid the backdrop of internet shutdowns during the July mass uprising and the need to ensure connectivity in remote areas, the interim government facilitated rapid entry of one of the world’s leading technology companies, Starlink, into the Bangladesh market—an effort that had been underway since the tenure of the previous Awami League government. On 27 October, various aspects of Starlink’s operations, including subscriber numbers, activities, data traffic, and monitoring systems, were discussed at the 300th monthly regular meeting of the BTRC. Issues related to ambiguities and inconsistencies in providing services to domestic and foreign customers were raised during the meeting.

According to commission meeting sources, on 7 October, the BTRC sent a letter to Starlink requesting updated information regarding Lawful Interception (LI) compliance. In response, Starlink stated that, as per licence conditions, it had provided compliance API-related tools to the NTMC. However, although NTMC received the tools, it has not been able to operate them as expected. Both parties have continued discussions on the matter.

In the internet sector, LI compliance refers to a technical and administrative system through which the government or law enforcement agencies, with legal authorization, can monitor a user’s internet communications or data. The primary objective of this system is to ensure lawful access to information for national security, criminal investigations, and the prevention of cybercrime. The BTRC considers LI compliance a mandatory condition for licence issuance.

On the same date, under Clause 5 of the licence, Starlink was also requested to confirm whether all customers located in Bangladesh are being served through its locally established earth stations and domestic IIG operators, and to provide appropriate monitoring tools. In response, Starlink informed that it could supply the same ‘compliance API tools’ to the BTRC as provided to NTMC. However, NTMC reported that it is unable to obtain the required information from these tools.

To review Starlink’s response and the technical complexities of the ‘compliance API tools’ identified by NTMC, a consultation meeting between the BTRC and NTMC was held on 21 October. Based on the data received from Starlink’s API, it appeared that the monitoring objectives of both NTMC and the commission were not being met. NTMC representatives reiterated that they were unable to extract the necessary information from the tool.

At the same time, another concern has emerged. According to commission sources, it remains unclear whether foreign (roaming) Starlink customers, when present in Bangladesh, are receiving internet services through local ground stations and Points of Presence (PoP). Starlink has not yet provided clear information on this matter, and the BTRC has sought clarification.

According to official BTRC documents, it must be ensured that exported data does not serve Bangladeshi customers or foreign residents in Bangladesh. The proposed data export must be strictly limited to serving Starlink’s foreign customers in neighbouring countries.

The commission has also decided that no Bangladeshi customers will be directly served through the use of IPLC and unfiltered IP. The company must technically demonstrate how it will separate and monitor domestic and foreign customer data. Before granting any approval to Starlink Services Bangladesh Limited, further clarification will be sought regarding the export of unfiltered bandwidth from Bangladesh through local internet service providers.

Welcoming the BTRC’s decision, industry stakeholders believe that effective regulation and monitoring are not possible without proper operational presence within the country. Satellite internet has created new possibilities in Bangladesh’s technology sector, but it must not go beyond regulatory control.

In this regard, Secretary General of the ISPAB, Nazmul Karim Bhuiyan, said that Starlink’s operations in Bangladesh pose risks of undermining local entrepreneurs and potentially leading the youth in a negative direction. He added that the NGSO licence framework does not permit commercial use of IPLC or cross-border data transmission. Therefore, such permission should not be granted to Starlink, as it could place the country’s internet business entirely under foreign control.

DBTech/AH/EK/OR