The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL) is scheduled to meet next week to discuss the formal authorization and implementation of the “Starlink” service in the country, according to State Minister of Technology Kanaka Herath.
Speaking to Ada Derana, Minister Herath noted that currently, no company offering such a service operates in Sri Lanka. He highlighted that steps are being taken to explore the necessary regulations and legal framework to facilitate Starlink’s operations.
“We will be looking at the nature of the license that will be granted to Starlink. The Telecommunication Regulatory Commission will be meeting next week,” said Minister Herath. “The commission’s final decision will be presented to the president.”
Last week, President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that integrating the global Starlink network with Sri Lanka aims to address Wi-Fi connectivity issues, particularly in areas outside Colombo. He revealed that the TRCSL has been tasked with assessing the Starlink network, with most preliminary work already completed.
President Wickremesinghe met with billionaire investor Elon Musk on the sidelines of the 10th World Water Forum High-Level Meeting in Indonesia on May 19, where they discussed implementing Starlink in Sri Lanka. Musk was in Bali to launch the Starlink satellite internet service in Indonesia, the world’s largest archipelago nation. He launched the service alongside Indonesian President Joko Widodo in a ceremony at a public health clinic in Denpasar, the provincial capital of Bali.
Unlike traditional telecommunications providers, which prioritize the most populated urban areas, Starlink aims to provide global coverage, extending internet connectivity to even the most remote corners of the planet. With a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites, Starlink can provide internet access to virtually any location on Earth, offering reliable service whether the user is in the Congo, the Arctic, or on an offshore oil rig.
Currently, Starlink has more than two million active customers and is available on all seven continents and in over 60 countries.
