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Montana Funds Starlink, Amazon's Kuiper for Remote Connectivity

8/30/2025

Summary

Montana Funds Satellite Connectivity

Montana allocated $119 million from the federal BEAD program to SpaceX's Starlink for connecting 20,000 underserved locations, favoring satellite solutions.
Amazon's Project Kuiper will receive $26 million, covering nearly 37% of locations, with 65% of BEAD sites served by satellite.
In Vietnam, Amazon plans a $570 million investment for Project Kuiper to serve remote areas and compete with Starlink.

Summary

Starlink Expands Connectivity

Starlink plans to launch in India, pending final approvals, with testing ongoing after provisional spectrum allocation.
Expected speeds in India range from 25 Mbps to 220 Mbps, with a setup cost of about INR30,000 and monthly plans starting at INR3,300.
In Pakistan, Starlink aims for a late 2025 launch, offering speeds of 50 Mbps to 500 Mbps at higher initial costs than local ISPs.
The service focuses on underserved areas to improve connectivity for remote workers and students, despite high initial pricing.

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Montana Funds Satellite Connectivity

Montana allocated $119 million from the federal BEAD program to SpaceX's Starlink for connecting 20,000 underserved locations, favoring satellite solutions.
Amazon's Project Kuiper will receive $26 million, covering nearly 37% of locations, with 65% of BEAD sites served by satellite.
In Vietnam, Amazon plans a $570 million investment for Project Kuiper to serve remote areas and compete with Starlink.

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