Reliance Jio's satellite internet service nears regulatory approval in India
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Reliance Jio's JioSpaceFiber, an upcoming satellite-based gigabit fibre service, is on the verge of launching in India.
The telecom giant has submitted all necessary documentation to the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), and pending regulatory approval, it will be able to introduce its satellite communication services in the country.
This service, showcased at the 2023 India Mobile Congress, aims to potentially become India's pioneering satellite-based giga fibre Internet service.
Sources familiar with the matter revealed that Reliance Jio is poised to secure the essential approvals and authorisations from IN-SPACe for the imminent launch of its satcom services within India. Operators aspiring to deploy satellite services in India must acquire security clearances and approvals from various ministries, reported The Economic Times.
The telco had exhibited its JioSpaceFiber technology at the India Mobile Congress last year, disclosing its connectivity achievements in four remote locations nationwide: Gir in Gujarat, Korba in Chattisgarh, Nabrangpur in Odisha, and ONGC-Jorhat in Assam, utilising the JioSpaceFiber satellite-based giga fibre Internet service.
To offer satellite-based Internet connectivity, Jio has collaborated with Société Européenne des Satellites (SES), headquartered in Luxembourg. This partnership grants Jio access to SES's medium earth orbit (MEO) satellites, comprising SES's O3b and new O3b mPOWER satellites.
Jio's forthcoming satcom services are anticipated to compete with other entities eyeing the Indian market, including Elon Musk-led Starlink, Eutelsat Group's OneWeb, and Amazon's Project Kuiper.
As of now, the company has not divulged specific plans regarding the launch of satellite Internet services within India.