Elon Musk’s SpaceX has partnered with Indian telecom giants Bharti Airtel and Reliance Jio to introduce Starlink, its satellite-based internet service, in India. The collaboration aims to boost internet accessibility, particularly in remote and underserved regions of the country.
According to Airtel’s press release, the collaboration “enables Airtel and SpaceX to further explore how Starlink can complement and expand Airtel’s offerings, and how Airtel’s expertise in the Indian market complements SpaceX’s direct offerings to consumers and businesses.”
Jio press release states that the partnership “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.”
However, the rollout is subject to regulatory approvals, and Starlink must first secure authorization to offer its services in India.
As part of the agreement:
- Jio will offer Starlink equipment through its retail stores and online channels, and also set up support infrastructure for installation, activation, and customer service.
- Airtel has confirmed that it will make Starlink equipment available through its retail outlets, though it hasn’t disclosed further plans yet.
While both telecom providers already offer their own AirFiber broadband services, these are fundamentally different from Starlink. For context, Jio and Airtel AirFiber use 5G networks and Wi-Fi 6 technology to deliver high-speed internet. However, these services rely on strong local network coverage, which limits their availability to areas within the network range.
In contrast, Starlink uses a network of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver high-speed internet across vast geographical areas, making it a better solution for remote and rural regions. There are over 7,000 operational Starlink satellites orbiting in space.
To access Starlink, users need to install an antenna with an unobstructed view of the sky, which allows it to connect with the LEO satellites and provide internet connectivity similar to a regular Wi-Fi service.
Starlink’s satellite connectivity is now available on iPhones as well. Check out our detailed guide on how to use Starlink satellite connectivity on iPhone for more information.
