'Criminal case' against Elon Musk's Starlink
Thursday, October 7, 2021 | Chimniii Desk
Highlights
- A non-profit telecommunications organisation is pursuing a 'criminal case' against Elon Musk's Starlink.
- It is one of two letters it issued to telecom regulators requesting action be taken against SpaceX, the US-based space company that owns Starlink.
- Previously, in a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, the non-profit claimed that the corporation was defrauding consumers by soliciting pre-orders with a deposit of Rs 7,500 ($100) for an unlaunched service.
- According to Telecom Watchdog, Starlink has not yet been granted a licence in India to provide satellite-based communication or satcom services.
- Since March 2021, the firm has been accepting reservations for a high-speed internet service that would be delivered via a constellation of numerous low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, with services expected to be accessible in India by 2022.
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NEW DELHI: Telecom Watchdog, a non-profit organisation, has sought assistance from the sector regulator to initiate a criminal action against Elon Musk's SpaceX for allegedly scamming consumers in India by pre-booking space internet subscriptions.
In a letter dated September 29 to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India secretary V Raghunandan, the organisation requested that "you take immediate action to put an end to Starlink's illegal activity and order the filing of a criminal case against the company under Section 420 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for cheating."
Additionally, the organisation urged the telecom regulator to take strong measures to assure refunds with interest and to chastise employees of the telecom department (DoT) for their "inaction" on the ongoing issue.
It is one of two letters it issued to telecom regulators requesting action be taken against SpaceX, the US-based space company that owns Starlink. Previously, in a letter to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, the non-profit claimed that the corporation was defrauding consumers by soliciting pre-orders with a deposit of Rs 7,500 ($100) for an unlaunched service.
"We are writing to alert you about an extremely severe incident involving the
Consumers are being duped by a foreign corporation - Starlink Internet Services Limited - established in Ireland, a tax haven, according to the letter.
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According to Telecom Watchdog, Starlink has not yet been granted a licence in India to provide satellite-based communication or satcom services.
The organisation, however, feels that the Musk-owned company has engaged in unethical business practises, and that purchasers will only be able to view the terms and conditions after making a deposit.
After paying for the required service, users are informed that the provider "does not guarantee" when the services will be provided and that the tariff will be communicated later.
Since March 2021, the firm has been accepting reservations for a high-speed internet service that would be delivered via a constellation of numerous low-earth orbit (LEO) satellites, with services expected to be accessible in India by 2022.
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