Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) is seeking a partnership with Starlink to facilitate the launch of satellite internet services in Bangladesh.

As part of the effort, the country's sole satellite company has proposed hosting Starlink's gateway at its ground stations in Gazipur and Betbunia, according to documents seen by The Daily Star.

At a meeting with Starlink officials in Dhaka yesterday, BSCL proposed a strategic collaboration and gave a presentation on its capabilities.

Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, special assistant to the chief adviser with executive authority over the Ministry of Telecom, and Muhammad Imadur Rahman, managing director of BSCL, attended the meeting.

Rebecca Slick Hunter, director of Starlink Global Licensing and Market Activation, led the Starlink team.

Read more

SpaceX hails govt move to cut red tape

"We have elaborated on BSCL's technical capabilities and the range of services it can provide to support Starlink's service delivery," Imadur Rahman told The Daily Star.

"Since the chief adviser aims to launch Starlink's service within 90 days from February this year, we are leveraging our capacity to expedite Starlink's entry into Bangladesh," he added.

In a virtual meeting in mid-February this year, Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus discussed potential collaboration with Elon Musk to advance the introduction of Starlink's satellite internet service in Bangladesh.

Prof Yunus invited Musk to visit Bangladesh for the potential launch, to which Musk responded positively, saying, "I look forward to it".

At yesterday's meeting, BSCL's presentation to Starlink officials highlighted the advantages of leveraging its infrastructure, including uninterrupted power, true-redundant fibre connections with 99.99 percent availability and round-the-clock maintenance by highly skilled personnel.

Read more

Can Starlink’s entry be another turning point?

The company also emphasised that its facilities offer the highest level of security, classified under the government's Key Point Installation (KPI) Category A.

"Starlink was amazed by BSCL's capacity and said they would convey the proposal to their headquarters," said a satellite company official familiar with the developments.

Under the proposed partnership, BSCL would provide services, including sales and marketing, post-sales customer support, user terminal import and distribution and revenue collection through banking channels.

Besides, the collaboration is expected to streamline regulatory approvals from the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and relevant ministries.

The partnership's potential benefits include enhanced nationwide sales and marketing, efficient distribution channels, on-site installation and troubleshooting and a reliable revenue collection mechanism under the government framework.

BSCL also guarantees a secure storage facility for Starlink kits within its KPI-enlisted premises.

PROGRESS SO FAR

BSCL and Starlink have already made significant progress in potential collaboration, according to officials.

A non-disclosure agreement (NDA) was signed with SpaceX on May 12, 2023, followed by successful testing of five Starlink terminals in Bangladesh.

These tests, conducted in Dhaka, Rangpur, Hatia and the Bay of Bengal, demonstrated Starlink's strong performance in various environments.

BSCL has since submitted a report to BTRC affirming the commendable functionality of Starlink's service across all test locations.

"The collaboration between Starlink and BSCL presents a strategic opportunity to enhance satellite internet connectivity in Bangladesh," said Mustafa Mahmud Hussain, a telecom expert.

"With technical expertise, infrastructure, an existing ground station, priority power supply, backup power and a data center, BSCL can ensure a seamless rollout of Starlink's services," he said.

As a single point of contact and system integrator, BSCL can provide end-to-end integration, management, marketing and distribution for Starlink in Bangladesh, leveraging its industry presence and regulatory expertise, Hussain said.

This partnership, he believes, could drive digital connectivity, bridge service gaps and accelerate Bangladesh's digital transformation.

REGULATORY UPDATES

In October last year, BTRC drafted guidelines for satellite internet service operators, permitting wholly owned foreign companies to obtain licences -- paving the way for Starlink and similar companies to enter Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the telecom ministry has recommended that BTRC include a clause granting satellite internet service providers a 25 percent rebate on fees and charges if they operate in partnership with a local satellite operator.

However, the guideline has not yet been finalised.

In a formal letter sent to Elon Musk on February 19, Chief Adviser Prof Yunus outlined the potential of Starlink's connectivity, particularly for young entrepreneurs, rural communities and underserved populations in Bangladesh.

Several local telecom infrastructure companies and operators are competing to become Starlink's local partner, according to sources.

Richard H Griffiths, a senior adviser at SpaceX, the parent company of Musk's satellite venture, told The Daily Star that after obtaining spectrum and licensing, Starlink would work with multiple local operators for partnerships.

"Once you're licensed in the country, you'll see many. It's a very open model, so you'll see many businesses then able to cooperate with Starlink and SpaceX," he said.