Starlink To Launch In Bali Making Island Even More Appealing To Digital Nomads

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Indonesia confirmed that Elon Musk’s Starlink will launch in the country on the 19th of May.

The news comes as Indonesia commits to levelling up connectivity infrastructure nationwide and is great news for digital nomads, remote workers and tech entrepreneurs using Bali as a base for their projects. 

In a press statement the Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan confirmed that Starlink will be launched this coming Sunday.

The launch coincides with the 10th World Water Forum (WWF), that is taking place in Bali from the 18th – 25th May.

It has been confirmed that both Elon Musk and President Joko Widodo will be present at the World Water Forum and will launch Starlink in a dedicated session in Nusa Dua. 

Minister Pandjaitain told the media, “The President, together with Elon Musk, will launch Starlink in the hopes of facilitating communication in remote areas. The launch will take place on Sunday.”

He added. “Elon Musk will be invited to speak at the opening of the 10th World Water Forum.”

Speaking earlier this year, the Communications and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi confirmed that Starlink had been put through its paces prior to the launch.

He assured the public that Starlink will be required to operate its internet services in alignment with Indonesian law and local regulations and pay the correct frequency fees. 

Starlink is the world’s most advanced broadband satellite internet service. The system operates from low earth orbit satellite constellations that deliver internet access to even the most remote places on Earth.

SpaceX has been launching these satellites into orbit since 2019, and there are now over 6,000 in orbit, with a total of 12,000 set to be launched overall. The number could increase to 34,000 in the coming years. There are already over 2 million Starlink subscribers worldwide. 

Minister Setiadi said, “They should follow Indonesia’s regulations. They should also apply for a permit to the Indonesian government. They should also pay. Nothing is free.”

He added, “They will collaborate with our local companies since technologies offered by Starlink will be helpful to various regions in Indonesia, for instance, the eastern Indonesia region.”

Minister Setiadi noted, “Despite being a disruptive (technology), on the matter of its obligation and responsibility as a corporation, Starlink should adhere to all rules and regulations in Indonesia.’

While connectivity in Bali Province is amongst the best in the country, the rollout of Starlink in Indonesia will have the most impact in remote regions where digital infrastructure is lagging behind.

The Starlink monthly packages for residential use start at IDR 750,000, and global packages start at IDR 6,995,480. The standard Starlink unit will cost IDR 7,800,000 in Indonesia.

Although Starlink will hold its launch event in Bali, the service will, in fact, be available on a trial basis in the new capital of Nusantara for the first month, with a full-scale launch set to be rolled out shortly after.

A statement from the Ministry confirms, “PT Starlink Service Indonesia has been issued business licenses for telecommunication operations… namely a business license for VSAT [Very Small Aperture Terminal], closed fixed networks and an ISP (internet service provider) business permit.”

For now, tourists in Bali can continue to make use of the widely available and reliable WiFi connections in accommodation, cafes, and co-working spaces, as well as mobile data services from providers such as Telkomsel and XL.

The tourists’ SIM cards with Telkomsel can be arranged prior to arrival in Bali and picked up at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport Arrivals Hall.

Alternatively, setting up a tourist SIM card on arrival is a quick 10-minute job, and the pre-paid mobile data packages usually provide more than enough data to see even the most internet data-intensive workloads supported during a visit to the island.