Even as Elon Musk and the Indian government are going toe-to-toe in a war of words over the billionaire's allegation of a "monopolistic chokehold" on telecom by "certain oligarchs" in the country, its neighbour Bangladesh managed to get the low-orbit satellite-based telecom services for mobile up and running.
"Starlink Mobile is now available in Bangladesh with Banglalink," the satcom giant helmed by Musk posted on X, "Millions of customers can now message over apps, share location and stay connected on compatible phones in cellular dead zones."
SpaceX VP Stephanie Bednarek chimed in, "Our technology provides an additional layer of connectivity in cellular dead zones so coastal communities, remote businesses, families and travellers can stay in touch no matter where they are."
In India, Starlink is yet to receive its license. According to the Centre, the security compliance for all three licensees is ongoing, in a bid to ensure "that services provided meet various security requirements to ensure safety of all users and their data."
While Starlink awaits spectrum assignment regarding its operations in India, the license to operate its dish-based internet was granted by Bangladesh in April 2025. Following its launch in May, the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) reported that the satellite internet service found 3,469 subscribers as of January 2026. And now, Starlink has launched its phone-to-satellite coverage through Banglalink.
Unlike the dish, Starlink Mobile in Bangladesh just need a compatible 4G phone, a clear view of the sky, and a Banglalink SIM to directly link to Starlink satellites when there is no normal tower signal.
However, this is not like a full-broadband service, which Starlink says is aimed at dead zones such as seas, remote islands, coasts, hill tracts, and outages during cyclones, floods, or power cuts.
Starlink Mobile is bundled with Banglalink and is not a separate service like the pricey dish broadband versions it launched last year.
Neither is commercially available in India yet. Musk's earlier allegations that prompted a response from the Indian government concerned the Starlink dish-based broadband service that is still waiting for clearance. The Banglalink-style Starlink Mobile launch in India might take even more time to implement.
"Starlink in India would enable high-speed, affordable Internet connectivity for those who can’t afford current prices or who don’t have a connection at all," Musk recently stated.
