Starlink which is owned by Elon Musk is set to disrupt the satellite internet market in India where it will be competing against domestic titans Mukesh Ambani’s Jio and Sunil Mittal’s Airtel. The current move by the Indian Telecom Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia to allocate satellite spectrum administratively has raised a lot of controversy among the leaders in the industry. Musk also expressed public gratitude to Scindia for this move, suggesting his readiness to supply Indians.
With the increase in the demand for satellite services, Reliance Jio has officially filed a request to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to update its satellite communication guidelines. In a letter to TRAI, Jio’s Chairman, AK Lahoti, also pointed out the need for a level playing field for satellite and terrestrial services. This corresponds with Musk’s position on making spectrum resources available to all.
Starlink has already sought permission for the service in India and is currently already planning for its entry into the market. Musk’s business has more than 200 satellites in orbit and is ready to provide internet connection as a service at a very high speed, especially in rural areas where there are no other options for building physical infrastructure. At the same time, Amazon’s Project Kuiper is also seeking a piece of the rapidly growing satellite broadband industry.
This is due for realization as Jio and Airtel prepare to roll out their satellite networks, the risks are high. Both the companies are watching the events on spectrum and tariffs fixed by TRAI closely. The regulatory decisions that are expected to be made in the coming weeks may greatly affect the competition structure of the telecommunications sector in India.
Musk’s desire to extend Starlink’s services in India may go a long way to solving the problem of the digital divide and deliver constant internet connection to millions. While this fight goes on, it is still unclear how these corporate giants will manage to work their way through the tough regulatory framework in India and at the same time attempt to bring innovative connectivity solutions to the market The outcome of this fight will not only impact the standing of the two giants, but it could also potentially change the way millions of Indian citizens access the internet.
