Ambani’s Jio platform will forge a joint venture with SES-SA to provide satellite-based broadband services across India.
On Monday, both corporations declared their venture to race with Elon Musk’s SpaceX and Sunil Mittal’s OneWeb to offer reliable, high-speed internet everywhere. It will have 100 Gbps capacity.
They will use multi-orbit space networks, a combination of geostationary and medium earth orbit satellite constellations which are capable of delivering multi-gigabit links and capacity to enterprises, mobile backhaul and retail customers.
The joint venture is shared 51:49, with Jio holding the majority 51%. It will have 100 Gbps capacity from SES, which will leverage Jio’s reach in India.
It will have 70 satellites in two different orbits, providing video and data services to customers across the world. These satellites will use multi-orbit space networks that are a combination of geostationary (GEO) and medium earth orbit (MEO) satellite constellations.
They are capable of delivering multi-gigabit links and capacity to enterprises, mobile backhaul and retail customers throughout India. Being the anchor customer, Jio has already entered into a multi-year capacity purchase agreement worth US$100m.
Its main competitor, SpaceX Starlink has deployed close to 2,000 low orbit satellites to provide high-speed internet. Jio’s other rival Bharti Airtel has announced a partnership with Hughes Communications to provide satellite broadband services in India.
Except for certain international aeronautical and maritime customers, the joint venture will provide SES’s satellite data and connectivity services in India. It will develop an extensive gateway infrastructure in India to provide services within the country.
To serve India, it will leverage SES-12, SES’s high-throughput GEO satellite and O3b mPOWER, SES’s next-generation MEO constellation, to extend and complement Jio’s terrestrial network. Jio will provide these services for consumption and development.
The pandemic has shown the importance of internet connectivity and why it is necessary to embrace the digital age. The joint venture is hoped to bring connectivity to the remotest of the areas.
While Jio continues to expand fibre-based connectivity and FTTH business and invests in 5G, the new joint venture with SES will further accelerate the growth of multi-gigabit broadband. It will also align with the Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti initiative.
Even the SES is confident in this joint venture that it will be able to connect even the remotest corner of India and make them part of the digital revolution.
This project will also accelerate the achievement of the Connect India goals in the 2018 National Digital Communications Policy and the Digital India program.
Follow and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn & Twitter
