by New Delhi (AP) and the Starlink of Elon Musk signed an agreement with India’s top telecommunications operator on Wednesday to bring the services of the US satellite internet giant to the world’s most suitable country, one day after a similar agreement with the second largest provider in the country.
The business with reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, which together control more than 70% of the Indian telecommunications market, could help to give millions of people who live in remote areas.
However, you rely on Starlink to receive the government’s approval for the entry in India. The partnership announcements come weeks after the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington was met with musk.
Offers will bring Starlink devices in shops all over India
The deal on Wednesday enables Starlink to store and sell its equipment in the thousands of retail stores from Jio, which gives the company direct sales throughout India. Starlink will also use the network infrastructure of its partners to improve the satellite cover throughout India, where a huge population still has no internet access.
In a statement by Jio, Starlink was supplemented by the broadband services of the Indian telecommunications giants “by expanding the high-speed internet in a quick and affordable way to the most demanding locations”.
Jio will also offer installation and activation support for the Starlink devices, the explanation says.
India has long been unreachable for Musk’s company
Jio has long contradicted Starlink about methods for the allocation of satellite service spectrum in India.
Jio had asked the Indian government to give a spectrum for satellite services through auctions to ensure fair competition, while Musk wanted the spectrum to be assigned administratively in accordance with global trends. The Indian government finally decided to assign satellite spectrum.
It is unclear whether Starlink’s license registration has already been approved, but local media reports indicate that it is approaching the first regulatory approval.
Last November, the Indian Telecommunications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that Starlink had not yet complied with the security standards, and that a license would only be issued after all requirements for the company.
The biggest challenge that Starlink is facing in India could be pricing.
Mobile data in India is one of the cheapest in the world – Ambanis Jio once had mobile plans free of charge.
Tesla, Musk’s electric car manufacturer, was also exposed to hurdles in India due to the high import tasks of the country for vehicles, but it could also get a thrust. The Copmany began to stop in India last month and, according to local news reports, also signed a rental contract for the opening of its first exhibition space in Mumbai.
