Sri Lanka has joined the long list of companies to give the green light for Elon Musk‘s Starlink satellite internet services, President Ranil Wickremesinghe announced on Friday.
What Happened: The country’s telecommunications regulatory commission has approved the launch of Starlink services, pending a two-week consultation period, said Wickremesinghe in a post on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
“Starlink's implementation will be transformative for Sri Lankans, especially those struggling to stay connected with reliable, high-speed internet,” the country President wrote. “This advancement will significantly improve connectivity across the country, which is crucial for inclusion in the digital economy and maintaining communications in remote areas and during natural disasters.”
Musk responded to the announcement with a brief, “Much appreciated.”
Why It Matters: Musk and the Sri Lankan President met during the latter’s visit to Indonesia in May in what the President termed a “fruitful discussion.” While Wickremesinghe was on an official visit to Indonesia for the 10th World Water Forum, Musk was there to launch SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet services in the country.
Starlink aims to provide high-speed internet around the world with the help of satellites in low-Earth orbit. It is currently available in nearly 100 countries, territories, or markets around the globe with over 3 million users.
Musk's SpaceX was valued at $180 billion in a tender offer in December. The Starlink segment achieved a breakeven cash flow a month before, in November.
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