In an important development, Jio platforms have announced collaboration with Alone Musk’s SpaceX to offer Starlink Internet services in India. However, this partnership is accidental on SpaceX receiving necessary approval from the Government of India before starting operations in the country.
Starlink was trying to find a way in the Indian market since October 2022.
The journey of this collaboration is marked by early resistance from both Jio and Airtel, who opposed the entry of Starlink in the Indian market. Satellite was designed to launch satellite broadband services in India following a decision to administratively allocated two telecom giants with Starlinks to administratively allocated the spectrum in India. Jio advocated an auction-based approach, while the government preferred to follow global practices and allocated the spectrum administratively.
During India Mobile Congress (IMC) 2024, Bharti Airtel President Sunil Mittal emphasized the need for a level playground, stating that satellite companies should need to buy spectrum and pay license fee like traditional telecom companies. Mittal’s stance was echoed by Jio, which also asked satellite firms to treat the telecom companies at a conducive.
Elon Musk replied to Jio’s comments, depicting the demand for an auction-based approach as “unprecedented”. Following Mittal’s speech at IMC, Musk expressed disappointment, asking if it is a “too much trouble” for Starlink to obtain permission to work in India.
Despite the initial reservation, both Jio and Airtel have now participated with Starlink. Jio’s announcement comes on the heels of the deal similar to Bharti Airtel with SpaceX. This development determines the platform for intensive competition not only in traditional broadband, but also in satellite internet space.
The agreement between Jio and Spacex enables companies to detect reliable broadband services across India, including rural and remote areas and distribute reliable broadband services. The status of JIO as the world’s largest mobile operator in terms of data traffic joint with Starlink’s expertise in low meaning orbit satellite constellations is expected to increase the country’s digital ecosystem.
Bharti Airtel Managing Director and Vice Chairman, Gopal Vital appreciated the partnership with SpaceX as an important milestone, showcasing the company’s commitment to the next generation satellite connectivity. The agreement is expected to detect Airtel and SpaceX to find out opportunities for collaboration and expand their offerings in the Indian market.
Airtel said in a statement on Tuesday, “Airtel and SpaceX will be able to further detect how Starlinks can complement and expand the offerings of Airtel, and how Airtel’s expertise in the Indian market can complement Spacex’s direct offerings for consumers and businesses,” Airtel said on Tuesday.
These developments follow Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with the US and Elon Musk.
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