Musk shares Starlink Mobile launch in Bangladesh

Elon Musk on Thursday shared news of Starlink Mobile’s arrival in Bangladesh, drawing attention to the satellite-to-mobile service launched with Banglalink earlier this week.

Reposting Starlink’s announcement on X, Musk wrote, “Starlink Mobile now available in Bangladesh!”, adding Bangladeshi flag emojis.

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His post had drawn around 2.1 million views and 12,000 likes by the time of writing.

In its original post, Starlink said the service was live with Banglalink, enabling millions of customers to message through apps, share their locations and stay connected in cellular dead zones using compatible phones.

The announcement featured a graphic in Bangla and English describing the service as Bangladesh’s only satellite network, available “anytime, everywhere”.

FIRST IN SOUTH ASIA

Banglalink launched the service on Tuesday, saying Bangladesh was the first country in South Asia to introduce satellite-to-mobile connectivity.

The operator said the service would help customers stay connected during emergencies, natural disasters and prolonged power outages when conventional mobile networks may be disrupted.

It is particularly aimed at fishermen, people working at sea, travellers and residents of remote and coastal areas, including deep-sea locations within Bangladesh’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

Users need a compatible 4G phone and a Banglalink SIM to access the service.

Starlink access is free for the first month with any internet or mixed bundle. After that, access continues at no additional cost with selected monthly packs. Customers also receive five free satellite SMS messages each month.

“Connectivity is ultimately about people,” Banglalink CEO Johan Buse said. “With Satellite-to-Mobile, we are bringing connectivity to more people and more places across Bangladesh.”

Satellite-to-mobile technology is designed to connect compatible mobile phones directly to satellites, extending connectivity beyond the reach of conventional cellular towers. Its availability can be particularly valuable in remote areas and during emergencies, although service capabilities depend on device compatibility, satellite coverage and the features supported by the operator.

Banglalink, a subsidiary of VEON, is Bangladesh’s third-largest mobile operator after Grameenphone and Robi.