Shaun
Jio-Starlink Internet Service: Jio Platforms Wednesday said it has signed a deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring Starlink’s internet services to India, a day after close rival Bharti Airtel announced a similar deal. Similar to Airtel, this deal is contingent upon SpaceX receiving its own authorisations to sell Starlink in India. Jio Platforms is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries.
Jio and SpaceX, so far, had been on the opposite side of the debate on how spectrum for satellite communication should be assigned to companies – with Jio calling for an auction, but SpaceX insisting on the administrative route. The government has decided to go with administrative allocation.
SpaceX has applied for a security clearance with the Indian government, but it is understood that its application is undergoing review at the Home Ministry.
The agreement, Jio said, enables it and SpaceX to explore how Starlink can extend Jio’s offerings and how it can complement SpaceX’s direct offerings to its consumers and businesses. Jio will make Starlink solutions available through its retail outlets as well as through its online storefronts.
“Through this agreement, the parties will leverage Jio’s position as the world’s largest mobile operator in terms of data traffic and Starlink’s position as the world’s leading low Earth orbit satellite constellation operator to deliver reliable broadband services across the country, including the most rural and remote regions of India,” Jio said in a statement.
Apart from offering Starlink equipment in its retail outlets, Jio will also establish a mechanism to support customer service installation and activation. “Starlink complements JioAirFiber and JioFiber by extending high speed internet to the most challenging of locations in a quick and affordable manner,” Jio said in a statement.
Jio and SpaceX are also evaluating other complementary areas of cooperation to leverage their respective infrastructure to further enhance India’s digital ecosystem, the company said.
Story continues below this ad
“By integrating Starlink into Jio’s broadband ecosystem, we are expanding our reach and enhancing the reliability and accessibility of high speed broadband in this AI-driven era, empowering communities and businesses across the country,” said Mathew Oommen, Group CEO, Reliance Jio.
“We are looking forward to working with Jio and receiving authorisation from the Government of India to provide more people, organisations and businesses with access to Starlink’s high speed internet services,” said Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX.
