IT Minister Updates on Starlink launch Date for Pakistan
The IT minister provided an update to the NA Standing Committee on Information Technology that Starlink will soon launch in Pakistan, but they have to meet certain conditions. IT Minister Shaza Fatima told the NA Standing Committee on IT that Starlink would be launched in Nov or Dec this year; however, the license we have given to Elon Musk's Starlink is temporary, and they will require a permanent license to operate in Pakistan fully.
Moreover, the IT minister clarified that there are no hurdles or any hassle to providing Starlink with the license. However, Starlink is a new technology for Pakistan, including every other country. That is why it was given the temporary license to operate, so there are no hurdles for Starlink to be launched later this year. Moreover, the IT minister briefed the NA Standing Committee that once the regulatory framework, terms, and conditions are finalized, Starlink would have to apply or reapply for a permanent license to operate in Pakistan.
It is expected that Starlink prices in Pakistan will be cheaper than in Europe and North America; otherwise, it will be a rare product, and it will not widely spread like the government of Pakistan is hoping it will, because most consumers in Pakistan cannot afford local high-speed broadband internet, let alone a high-priced Starlink. It would require a Netflix business model to operate in Pakistan and to spread Starlink widely to the maximum number of people in Pakistan.
The Ministry of IT has high hopes for Elon Musk's Starlink that it will create good and healthy competition between internet services. Moreover, it would also reduce the internet issues that Pakistan faces, like internet shutdowns and speed issues, which is the reason why Pakistan is ranked lowest for internet speed and internet quality. However, it will all depend on the prices that are locally set by Starlink when they are operational in Pakistan. If the prices are too high, then it would not be adopted in Pakistan.
