Samsung Electronics smartphone users in India will soon be able to use Starlink as Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, which are competing for the top two Indian telecommunications companies, are close to introducing Starlink, a satellite Internet network of SpaceX led by Elon Musk.
Airtel signed an agreement with SpaceX on the 12th and is reportedly considering providing Starlink equipment through Airtel’s extensive retail network, providing Starlink services to corporate customers through Airtel, and expanding its service coverage across India by utilizing both companies’ network infrastructure.
On the same day, Sammy Fans, an overseas information technology (IT) media, reported that “Samsung smartphone users will be able to use Starlink in India in the future.” The forecast comes after India’s leading telecommunications companies Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio officially announced plans to introduce Starlink services in cooperation with SpaceX.
Airtel and Jio are India’s largest mobile carriers, and this partnership will lay the groundwork for providing Starlink satellite internet to Indian users. However, regulatory approval from the Indian government remains to be provided for full-scale service.
The cooperation comes after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Elon Musk during a recent visit to the U.S. SpaceX is already reportedly preparing to provide Starlink services in a way that complies with local regulations with approval from Indian authorities.
“By integrating Starlink into Jio’s broadband ecosystem, we will increase the reliability and accessibility of high-speed internet in line with the artificial intelligence (AI) era, and empower communities and businesses,” Matthew Oomen, Group CEO of Reliance Jio, said in a statement.
Meanwhile, Airtel and Jio are working with Starlink to develop their own satellite Internet services. Jio is working with SES, a satellite communication service provider, to develop JioSpaceFiber, while Airtel is seeking satellite Internet business through OneWeb, a subsidiary of UtelSat Group that provides broadband satellite Internet services in low orbit.
“We are excited to work with Jio and look forward to bringing Starlink’s high-speed Internet service to more people and businesses with the approval of the Indian government,” said SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell.
Meanwhile, the announcement of the partnership between Airtel and SpaceX came a few weeks after Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Musk in Washington on the 13th, and local industries have analyzed that the introduction of Starlink is imminent in India.
Currently, in India, with a population of more than 1.4 billion, at least 40% of the total population still does not have access to the Internet. In particular, in order to increase the Internet penetration rate in large and rugged mountainous areas, inexpensive satellite broadband services such as Starlink are required.
EJ SONG
US ASIA JOURNAL
