Jio to launch satellite internet in India
What's the story
Reliance Jio is considering the creation of a sovereign low-earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, Chairman Akash Ambani announced at Reliance Industries' 49th Annual General Meeting (AGM). The initiative is part of Jio's larger plan to provide connectivity in India's most isolated and underserved areas. "Jio connected India on the ground. Now, we must connect India from the skies," Ambani said during the AGM.
Strategic approach
Jio's 2-pronged strategy for satellite connectivity
Jio plans to use a two-pronged strategy to provide satellite connectivity. The first part involves leasing satellite capacity from established global constellations to quickly launch services. The second part is building a long-term indigenous satellite network. Ambani said this approach would help Jio meet India's connectivity needs faster while establishing a globally scalable Indian satellite broadband platform.
Infrastructure development
Jio developing ground station infrastructure for satellite connectivity
To support its satellite connectivity plans, Jio is also developing ground station infrastructure in India. These facilities will support both partner satellite constellations and Jio's future satellites, creating an integrated satellite broadband ecosystem. Separately, Reliance Jio-backed Jio Satellite Communications (JioSat) has already secured the Global Mobile Personal Communication by Satellite (GMPCS) license from the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and authorization from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe).
Market entry
JioSat among 1st players to enter satcom market
The approvals position JioSat among the first players ready to enter India's nascent satcom market. It plans to leverage its joint venture with SES to deliver high-speed connectivity to remote, rural, and underserved regions. However, it will still require spectrum allocation and completion of other operational clearances before commencing commercial services. This move comes as competition heats up in India's satellite communications space with Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Amazon LEO eyeing the market.