en.Wedoany.com Reported - Bangladesh has officially approved SpaceX's Starlink, owned by Elon Musk, to conduct cross-border satellite bandwidth export services, clearing a key technical path for Starlink services to enter Nepal. However, due to Nepal's regulatory policies and foreign investment access rules, Starlink will still be unable to commence commercial operations in Nepal in the short term.
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has recently formally approved Starlink to carry cross-border internet traffic using Bangladesh's local network infrastructure. Industry experts believe this move will position Bangladesh as a regional satellite internet transit hub, providing network service support for landlocked South Asian countries such as Nepal and Bhutan.
Under the new mechanism, Starlink can obtain international bandwidth via Bangladesh's submarine cables and then transmit network signals to neighboring countries using its own low-Earth orbit satellite constellation. Bangladeshi media have confirmed that the country has allowed Starlink to export unfiltered cross-border bandwidth through this channel. This also provides a new compliant procurement avenue for local enterprises in Nepal.
Hossain, a renowned satellite communications expert in Bangladesh and Managing Director of Puku.sh, stated that the only remaining hurdle for Starlink's deployment in Nepal is official regulatory approval from Nepali authorities. In an interview with The Kathmandu Post, he explained that this transmission model, using Bangladesh as an overseas anchor point, is technically simple to implement and has a very low barrier to entry. "Nepali users only need to install a Starlink terminal antenna to connect to the network. The signal links to low-Earth orbit satellites approximately 550 kilometers away, and there is no need to install additional equipment such as gateways or servers within the country," Hossain said. He added that as long as the Nepali government gives the green light, local users can use Starlink services without any obstacles.
Indian media view Bangladesh's recent policy relaxation as a significant strategic breakthrough for Starlink's expansion in South Asia. For four years, Starlink has been unable to enter the Indian market, with Indian authorities having not approved its operating license due to considerations over data security and spectrum allocation. Bangladesh's openness allows Starlink to break the deadlock, while Bangladesh can also earn foreign exchange through bandwidth exports.
Starlink has been persistently seeking to enter Nepal for years. Recently, Starlink Director Rebecca Hunter visited Kathmandu and met with Nepal's Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Timalsina, reiterating the intention to launch services and acknowledging that legal and policy barriers are the core obstacles to project implementation. SpaceX founder Elon Musk once held a video call with then-Nepali Prime Minister Oli, proposing to deploy Starlink network at the summit of Mount Everest to achieve comprehensive communication coverage across the region.
While official cooperation has yet to yield results, Starlink equipment is already circulating illegally in Nepal's Himalayan region. Many foreign trekkers and expedition teams are using it without authorization, leading to a surge in related complaints. Assistant Spokesperson Paudel of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) explicitly stated that until Starlink completes local registration and obtains an official license, it is strictly prohibited from providing commercial network services to Nepali users or landing satellite signals within the country. The NTA also stated that local Nepali operators can independently purchase bandwidth from compliant international satellite agencies.
Currently, only two companies in Nepal, Constellation and iFour Technology, hold satellite communication licenses. Constellation has been operating using the UAE satellite system since 2002. Executives from these two companies stated that the proliferation of illegal foreign satellite equipment has severely impacted the local compliant market. At Everest Base Camp, there are only a few compliant service points, but illegal Starlink equipment is ubiquitous at Camps II and III.
Nepal's foreign investment policy in the telecommunications sector is the biggest bottleneck for Starlink's deployment. Local regulations stipulate that the foreign ownership cap for telecom and internet companies is 80%, requiring 20% of shares to be reserved for local enterprises. However, Starlink insists on 100% wholly-owned control, and the disagreement between the two sides remains irreconcilable. Official sources indicate that Starlink has engaged with several local Nepali companies to discuss cooperation, but no final plan has been finalized.
Minister of Communications Timalsina responded that Nepal welcomes all law-abiding foreign enterprises but will not amend existing laws for a single company. He also stated that satellite networks can fill communication gaps in remote areas, but the economic viability of large-scale deployment across Nepal remains to be verified. Local operators argue that illegal Starlink equipment leads to wasted spectrum resources, tax revenue loss, and poses national security risks. Nepal's regulatory authorities issued a notice as early as 2024 strictly prohibiting the unauthorized use of foreign satellite communication equipment. Regarding Bangladesh's new policy, the NTA predicts that there will not be an immediate surge in illegal equipment, but it will continue to closely monitor market dynamics and strengthen regulatory enforcement.
Currently, Bhutan and Sri Lanka have already permitted Starlink services, while India is still advancing relevant security reviews and spectrum approvals. Although Bangladesh has opened a technical path, Nepal remains marked by Starlink as a region with an unknown launch timeline. Policy barriers, rather than technical issues, are the biggest obstacle to Starlink's entry into Nepal.
