Elon Musk's Satellite Internet Authorized to Operate in Mexico

Starlink, SpaceX's satellite internet service, received authorization to operate in Mexico. The Elon Musk-owned company promises download speeds of over 200Mbp and expects to begin operating in Mexico by the end of 2021. According to the company, it has everything in place to set up the necessary infrastructure but has not yet held talks with the authorities in the country, as previously reported by MBN.

Starlink Satellite Systems Mexico was authorized by the Federal Telecommunications Institute (IFT) to "exploit the rights to broadcast and receive signals and frequency bands associated with foreign satellite systems that cover and can provide services in the national territory", the document states. According to the institute, the authorization will be valid for 10 years.

Although the company's policy is to charge the same to all users, in the case of Mexico, local taxes and the shipping charge for the connection kit would be extra. For now, the service is limited to a number of users per coverage area. Customers who pay a US$100 pre-sale deposit will be given priority once the service is ready, the company said. Once the service is installed, the monthly cost will be US$99. Starlink currently provides internet to Tesla factories around the world. The service has already has more than 10,000 users worldwide.

Elon Musk said that Starlink's long-term goal is to bring internet to “every corner of the planet,” mainly in rural and remote areas where there is no access to fiber-optic or cable connectivity.