Jio – Starlink Internet Service: Jio signed a deal with Elone Musk’s SpaceX, will bring Starlink’s internet to India|
Jio Platforms on Wednesday signed a deal with Elone Musk’s company SpaceX, through which it will launch Starlink’s internet service in India. A day before this announcement, Jio’s close competitor Bharti Airtel also announced a similar deal with SpaceX. Both deals will not be effective until SpaceX gets official permission to sell Starlink in India. Jio Platforms is a subsidiary of Reliance Industries.
Jio and SpaceX were on opposite sides regarding spectrum allocation for satellite communication. Jio had talked about giving spectrum through auction, while SpaceX was demanding administrative allocation (direct allocation). The government has finally decided on administrative allocation.
SpaceX has applied for security clearance from the Indian government, but its application is currently in the process of review in the Home Ministry.
What will happen with this deal?
According to Jio, this deal will give SpaceX and Jio a chance to work together, so that Starlink can extend Jio’s offerings and complement SpaceX’s direct offerings. Jio will make Starlink solutions available through its retail outlets and online stores.
Jio said in a statement, “Through this agreement, Jio (the world’s largest mobile operator for data traffic) and Starlink (the world’s leaking low Earth orbit satellite constellation operator) will together deliver reliable broadband service across India, especially in rural and remote areas.”
What will be Starlink’s role?
Jio will sell Starlink equipment at its retail outlets and also establish a mechanism to support customer service, installation and activation. Jio said, “Starlink will complement JioAirFiber and JioFiber, making high-speed internet accessible even in areas that are traditionally challenging, and in an affordable and quick way.”
More collaborations in the future?
Apart from this, Jio and SpaceX are also exploring collaboration in other areas so that they can use their infrastructure to further enhance India’s digital ecosystem.
Methew Oommen, Group CEO of Reliance Jio, said, “By integrating Starlink into Jio’s broadband ecosystem, we are expanding our reach and enhancing the reliability and accessibility of high-speed broadband. This will empower communities and businesses in the AI-driven era.”
What is Starlink?
Starlink is SpaceX’s satellite-based internet service, which provides high-speed internet using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites. This service is especially useful for those areas where traditional internet infrastructure is difficult to reach, like remote and rural areas.
