New Delhi:
Airtel announced an agreement with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to bring Starlink’s high-speed internet services to its customers in India.
This is the first agreement to be signed in India, which is subject to SpaceX receiving its own authorisations to sell Starlink in India, Airtel said in a statement.
Airtel and SpaceX will explore offering Starlink equipment in Airtel’s retail stores, Starlink services via Airtel to business customers, opportunities to connect communities, schools, and health centers, among many others, in even the most rural parts of India, the Indian telecom said in the statement.
“Working with SpaceX to offer Starlink to Airtel customers in India is a significant milestone and further demonstrates our commitment to next-generation satellite connectivity,” said Gopal Vittal, Managing Director and Vice Chairman, Bharti Airtel Ltd.
The SpaceX-owned Starlink is a satellite internet constellation that seeks to offer global mobile broadband. Streaming, video calls, online gaming, remote working and more are possible in even the most remote locations with the help of the world’s most advanced internet system.
“This collaboration enhances our ability to bring world-class high-speed broadband to even the most remote parts of India, ensuring that every individual, business, and community has reliable internet. Starlink will complement and enhance Airtel’s suite of products to ensure reliable and affordable broadband for our Indian customers-wherever they live and work,” Mr Vittal said in the statement.
Gwynne Shotwell, President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX, said the team at Airtel played a pivotal role in India’s telecom story, so SpaceX working with them to complement its direct offering makes great sense for the business.
“We are excited to work with Airtel and unlock the transformative impact Starlink can bring to the people of India. We are constantly amazed by the incredible and inspiring things that people, businesses and organizations do when they are connected via Starlink,” Gwynne Shotwell said.
Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Jio currently dominates India’s broadband market with more than 14 million wired subscribers. Jio also has a user base of nearly 500 million mobile internet users. Airtel too has close to 300 million broadband subscribers. However, they are concerned that after spending more than 20 billion dollars in spectrum auctions, they now have the risk of losing customers to Elon Musk’s Starlink as satellite technology advances.
