Space-X: After Airtel, now the country’s largest telecom service provider Reliance Jio has also signed an agreement with Elon Musk’s company Starlink to provide satellite internet.
Yesterday i.e. on Tuesday (March 11), telecom company Bharti Airtel signed an agreement with the American company. Airtel has given this information in the stock exchange filing yesterday.
Under the agreement, SpaceX and Airtel will work together to provide Starlink services to businesses, educational institutions, healthcare centers and remote areas. Possibilities of integrating Starlink technology into Airtel’s existing network infrastructure will be explored.
Space-X: Learn about Starlink in 6 questions and answers…
Question 1- What is Starlink?
Answer- Starlink provides internet via satellite in more than 100 countries. It has the largest satellite network of more than 7 thousand satellites in the lower orbit of the Earth. Streaming, online gaming, video calls can be easily done through Starlink Internet.
In this, the company provides a kit which includes a router, power supply, cable and mounting tripod. For high-speed internet, the dish is placed under the open sky. Starlink’s app is available on iOS and Android, which does everything from setup to monitoring.
Question 2- How is it different?
Answer- Companies like Jio and Airtel provide internet through fiber optics, mobile towers. Starlink is based on satellite network. It works through small satellites, ground stations and user terminals. It does not require physical infrastructure.
Question 3- Is its speed higher?
Answer- Starlink’s satellites are closer to the earth (550 km) than traditional satellite internet service. This provides faster internet. Starlink claims that it provides speed up to 150 MBPS, which is less than fiber broadband but better than traditional satellite internet.
Question 4- What changes will happen in India?
Answer- The biggest advantage of Starlink is that it can provide internet service in areas where traditional broadband providers cannot provide their services. This includes rural areas, remote locations and even areas affected by natural disasters.
Many remote areas in our country do not have access to the Internet. According to government data, rural tele-density was 59.1% as of March 2024. Starlink can prove to be a game-changer for these areas. Online education and digital healthcare will increase in remote areas.
Question 5- Is Starlink a challenge for existing companies?
Answer- Starlink and other satcom services are not competitors to traditional internet companies, but complementary services to them. However, their cost is high. Starlink plans are up to 18 times more expensive than existing broadband plans. If the government wants, it can help reduce prices by using the Universal Service Obligation Fund in the Digital India scheme.
Question 6- What will be the future in India?
Answer- The satellite communication market in the country is growing rapidly. According to a report by KPMG in 2024, this market can reach Rs 1.7 lakh crore by the year 2028.
Space-X: How does the internet reach you through satellites?
Satellites make beam internet coverage possible from any part of the earth. Users get high-speed, low-latency internet coverage from a network of satellites. Latency refers to the time it takes to transmit data from one point to another.
Space-X: Starlink equipment will be available at Airtel’s retail stores
- Airtel and SpaceX will explore the possibility of offering Starlink equipment in Airtel’s retail stores.
- Possibilities of offering Starlink services to business customers through Airtel will also be explored.
- We will explore the possibility of connecting communities, schools and health centers and providing service in rural areas as well.
Jio is the largest operator with 46 crore customers
Reliance Industries has spent about 26 thousand crore rupees in 5 years for telecom, internet and digital business. Reliance Jio is the country’s largest telecom operator, which has 46 crore wireless customers at the end of December. Its profit saw a jump in the September quarter due to the tariff hike in June last year.
