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Just months after launching commercial operations in Bangladesh, Elon Musk’s satellite internet company Starlink has come under increasing regulatory scrutiny as it seeks to expand its services beyond what is currently permitted under its licence.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) is reviewing Starlink’s requests to commercially use International Private Leased Circuit (IPLC) connections and obtain unfiltered IP transit to serve foreign customers in neighbouring countries, raising questions over data monitoring, cross-border traffic management and compliance with the country’s licensing framework.
Starlink Services Bangladesh became the country’s first Non-Geostationary Orbit (NGSO) Satellite Services Operator after receiving a 10-year licence on April 29 this year. The licence was introduced as a new category under Bangladesh’s telecom licensing regime, replacing one of the oldest policy frameworks, the ILDTS Policy 2010, whose licences are set to expire in 2027.
Despite widespread public interest, the premium-priced satellite internet service has attracted fewer than 2,000 subscribers during its first four months of operation.
According to figures submitted to the regulator, Starlink had 1,862 customers as of September 30. The customer base includes 1,251 residential subscribers, 495 residential light users, 58 mobile residential users, 20 enterprise customers, 20 premium business subscribers, 11 premium business mobile users, one premium residential customer and six test users.
Customers currently pay Tk47,000 as a one-time equipment and installation fee. Monthly subscription charges stand at Tk6,000 for the standard residential package and Tk4,200 for the Residential Lite package.
Although the subscriber base remains modest, Starlink has already secured substantial network capacity. The company has purchased 200 Gbps of bandwidth from Bangladesh Submarine Cables PLC and another 80 Gbps from International Internet Gateway (IIG) operators.
However, BTRC documents show that customers in Bangladesh are using only around 30 Gbps of bandwidth, prompting regulators to seek greater clarity on how the remaining capacity is being utilised.
The issue gained prominence during the BTRC’s 300th monthly commission meeting held on October 27, where officials reviewed Starlink’s customer base, operational activities, data traffic and monitoring arrangements. According to meeting sources, commissioners also discussed concerns over whether the company could eventually use Bangladesh as a regional data transit hub.
Starlink first sought regulatory approval on August 13 to commercially use IPLC connectivity and obtain unfiltered IP transit from local operators to provide services to foreign customers in neighbouring countries. It later submitted a detailed technical proposal to the regulator on October 14.
The regulator has yet to approve the proposal, saying further technical and regulatory assessment is required.
According to BTRC documents, any approval would require Starlink to demonstrate a robust technical mechanism to completely separate domestic and international data traffic. The regulator has also made it clear that exported bandwidth must not be used to serve Bangladeshi customers or foreign residents within Bangladesh.
The proposed international services, if approved, would be strictly limited to Starlink’s overseas customers outside Bangladesh. The commission has also decided that IPLC and unfiltered IP transit links must not be used to directly provide internet services to Bangladeshi subscribers.
Another key concern involves lawful interception (LI) compliance, a mandatory licensing requirement that enables authorised law enforcement agencies to lawfully monitor communications for national security and criminal investigations.
On October 7, BTRC sought updated information from Starlink regarding its LI compliance. In response, the company said it had already provided the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) with a compliance API tool as required under its licence.
However, according to commission sources, NTMC informed the regulator that the API tool does not currently provide sufficient information to meet its monitoring requirements.
The same issue arose when BTRC asked Starlink to provide monitoring tools to verify whether all customers located in Bangladesh receive internet services through the company’s locally established earth station and domestic IIG operators, as required under Clause 5 of its licence.
A joint meeting between BTRC and NTMC on October 21 concluded that the existing API tool does not fully satisfy the monitoring objectives sought by the regulator. BTRC has since asked Starlink to provide further clarification.
Regulators have also sought a clear explanation of how Starlink serves its foreign roaming customers when they are physically present in Bangladesh, as it remains unclear whether such traffic is routed through the company’s local ground infrastructure.
Industry stakeholders have welcomed BTRC’s cautious approach. Nazmul Karim Bhuiyan, Secretary General of the Internet Service Providers Association of Bangladesh (ISPAB), said the current NGSO licensing framework does not permit commercial IPLC usage or cross-border data transmission.
He argued that allowing such activities could place Bangladesh’s internet business under foreign control and undermine local internet service providers.
Sector insiders also stressed that effective regulatory oversight requires licensed operators to maintain a meaningful local operational presence, adding that while satellite internet opens new opportunities for connectivity, especially in remote areas, its expansion must remain fully compliant with Bangladesh’s regulatory framework.
Meanwhile, BTRC has decided to seek additional technical explanations from Starlink before making any decision on its request to export bandwidth and provide cross-border services, ensuring that national regulatory oversight and domestic telecom interests are adequately protected.
