Billionaire Elon Musk-backed SpaceX’s satellite-based internet service, Starlink is now available for pre-orders in India for $99 which is roughly above Rs 7000.

Starlink is expected to make Internet connectivity available to Indian users in 2022 through satellites that SpaceX will launch in orbit. It is currently in the beta-testing phase and any user can access and check the availability of the services in their area through Starlink’s website.

“Starlink is available to a limited number of users per coverage area at this time. Orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis,” reads the Starlink website.

According to a report by India Today, interested users in India can pay a refundable deposit of $99, which is a little over Rs 7000 to pre-book their Starlink broadband. Users can check the availability of the service by typing in their city and postal code.

For instance, presently Starlink’s website for Maharashtra notes that it is targeting coverage in your area in 2022 and that its availability is limited.

The company assures that the orders will be fulfilled on a first-come, first-served basis. Once users click on the Order Now button, users are redirected to an information page where they are required to put in details like their first name, last name, phone number, and email address. Users will also be required to put in their card details to place the refundable deposit amount of $99.

Starlink has said that the service will be released and its availability will depend upon various regulatory approvals. The firm has also noted that the users may not get the broadband connection at all and if they do it may not be on the said date due to such factors.

The firm's official website clearly states that it will collect user data such as identity data, contact data, and profile data, and financial data such as card details for monetary transactions.

The company says it adopts measures to protect users’ personal information from “loss, misuse, unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.”

According to online reports, users in the USA, Australia, and Mexico purchase a Starlink kit for $499, which includes everything users require to connect to the internet including Starlink, wi-fi router, power supply, cables, and mounting tripod.

Starlink is reportedly looking to eventually deliver high-speed internet of up to 1 Gbps downloading or uploading speed to its users. Presently, it gives up to 150 Mbps speeds which are reported to double up to 300 Mbps through testing.

In one of its FAQ notes, Starlink says, "In early service, the required clear field of view is a 100-degree cone around the center of the dish (after tilting) with a 25-degree elevation minimum. Some obstructions are worse than others. Obstructions low in the sky will cause more outages because satellites are in this area of the sky more frequently."

Image courtesy: Starlink website