Airtel and SpaceX Partner to Bring Starlink Internet to India
New Delhi – Indian telecom giant Airtel has announced a new partnership with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to introduce Starlink high-speed internet services to customers across India.
This marks Starlink’s first formal agreement in India, although the actual launch of services depends on SpaceX securing the necessary permissions to operate and sell Starlink internet within the country.
According to Airtel, the collaboration will explore several avenues to make Starlink accessible to Indians. This includes potentially offering Starlink equipment in Airtel’s retail stores and providing Starlink services to Airtel’s business clients. Furthermore, they plan to explore opportunities to connect underserved communities, schools, and health facilities, even in the most remote areas of India.
Gopal Vittal, the Managing Director and Vice Chairman of Bharti Airtel, emphasized the significance of this partnership. He stated that working with SpaceX to bring Starlink to Airtel customers in India is a major step forward and highlights Airtel’s dedication to utilizing cutting-edge satellite internet technology.
Starlink, owned by SpaceX, operates a network of satellites designed to deliver broadband internet globally. It promises to enable high-bandwidth activities like streaming videos, video conferencing, online gaming, and remote work, even in areas with limited traditional internet access.
Mr. Vittal added that Starlink’s capabilities will complement Airtel’s existing services, enhancing their ability to deliver reliable and affordable high-speed internet to Indian customers, regardless of their location.
Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of SpaceX, recognized Airtel’s crucial role in the development of India’s telecom sector. She noted that partnering with Airtel to supplement Starlink’s direct services is a logical and beneficial move for SpaceX.
Shotwell expressed excitement about working with Airtel to unlock the transformative potential of Starlink for the people of India. She highlighted the inspiring innovations and achievements possible when individuals, businesses, and organizations have access to reliable internet through Starlink.
Currently, Reliance Jio, led by Mukesh Ambani, is the dominant player in India’s broadband market with over 14 million wired broadband subscribers and nearly 500 million mobile internet users. Airtel also has a substantial broadband subscriber base of around 300 million. However, both companies face potential disruption from advancing satellite internet technologies like Starlink. Having invested heavily in spectrum licenses, there are concerns within the industry that these telecom giants might face the risk of losing customers to Starlink’s satellite-based internet services as this technology becomes more widely available and appealing.