In a monumental development from the world of advanced satellite internet, Reliance Group’s Reliance Jio has signed a deal with Elon Musk-headed satellite internet company Starlink.
Jio Signs A Deal With Starlink
This comes barely a day after Jio’s biggest rival, and the second-largest telecom company in India (behind Jio) signed a similar deal with the American company.
After fiercely contesting the space of the internet and moving aggressively towards attaining dominance in the satellite realm, all the major players seem to be moving in the same direction, as they ally with a major force.
Reliance Jio announced the deal, and in a statement, it said, “Jio Platforms Limited (JPL) announced an agreement with SpaceX to offer Starlink’s broadband internet services to its customers in India.”
This agreement, which is subject to SpaceX receiving its own authorizations to sell Starlink in India, enables Jio and SpaceX to explore how Starlink can extend Jio’s offerings and how Jio can complement SpaceX’s direct offerings to consumers and businesses. Jio will make Starlink solutions available through its retail outlets as well as through its online storefronts.
“Ensuring that every Indian, no matter where they live, has access to affordable and high-speed broadband remains Jio’s top priority,” said Mathew Oommen, Group CEO, Reliance Jio.
Airtel’s Deal
Yesterday, on Tuesday, March 11, Airtel signed a similar deal with the company, through which Airtel said it will explore options for Starlink’s deployment, which will be investigated by Airtel and SpaceX under the agreement.
Some of the key aspects in focus would be offering Starlink equipment for sale at Airtel’s retail locations.
In addition, Airtel may also initiate B2B operations, with offering services to businesses.
Satellite Interent In India
Despite these major developments, falling in line with regulatory frame work has been a bottleneck for Elon Musk’s company, as it has continued to hold dialogues with the Indian government over security concerns.
These developments come as a major turning point in the industry, as previously it Reliance had been working a Luxembourg-based SES for its venture. Meanwhile, Airtel-backed OneWeb has also been aggressive in the progress that it has made when it comes to capturing the untapped market, with significant potential.
These new developments bring the communication and internet business to a new paradigm.
