Reliance Jio Nears Satellite Internet Takeoff as Crucial Approvals Loom

2 Jan 2024 , 10:39 AM

According news reports, Reliance Jio may obtain this month’s landing rights and market access authorizations from the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe). These approvals are necessary for the telecom company led by Mukesh Ambani to begin offering gigabit fibre services in India via satellite.

One of the individuals previously cited informed ET that Jio has submitted all required information to IN-SPACe, the agency overseeing the space industry, and that the requisite authorizations are anticipated shortly. In order to deploy global satellite bandwidth capacity in India, the authorizations are required.

The authorization process for IN-SPACe is intricate and requires clearances from multiple ministries as well as security clearances.

In answer to ET’s question about pending authorizations for Jio’s satellite communications business, Pawan Goenka, chairman of IN-SPACe, stated, ‘We don’t comment on the status of approvals of specific companies…all I can say is that several applications for IN-SPACe authorisations are in the pipeline.’

Jio Platforms and Luxembourg-based satellite communications provider SES established a 51:49 joint venture last year to provide broadband access through satellites, joining a market that has already seen announcements from the Tatas, Amazon, Eutelsat OneWeb, and Elon Musk’s Starlink.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has previously granted Jio’s satellite division a GMPCS (global mobile personal communications via satellite services) licence; however, IN-SPACe authorizations are still waiting.

The only worldwide satellite constellation provider with the necessary IN-SPACe approvals is Eutelsat OneWeb, which is sponsored by Bharti.

In the still-emerging but highly promising India satcoms sector, Eutelsat OneWeb and the Jio-SES combination are vying for a first-mover’s advantage over companies like Tatas, Jeff Bezos-led Amazon, and Starlink. After receiving the spectrum, Jio’s satellite services section can launch JioSpaceFiber services in a matter of weeks, according to the company’s president, Mathew Oommen.

It is unlikely to take too long for the DoT to assign such airwaves because the recently passed Telecommunications Act, 2023 provides legislative support for the administrative distribution of satellite spectrum, according to the previously quoted sources.

According to a recent IN-SPACe estimate, India’s space economy might reach $44 billion by 2033 and take up roughly 8% of the world market, up from its current proportion of 2%.

Satellite-based broadband services in India will mainly target areas that are currently underserved by traditional terrestrial broadband solutions, such as isolated and rural areas with little to no access to high-speed internet.

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